hodge podge

I am having a random week.
So I am going to a do a random post.
Enjoy.

I got a bracelet for Mother's day courtesy of my monkey Lulu,
who thought it would be fun to do a swan dive from her crib.


She's not thinking it was so fun anymore.
Thankfully, all is well.
The trouble with monkeys...


A new Sonic is coming to the OC.
Happy hour is certain to ruin my life.
Just saying.
Counting down the days until slushy happiness.


I love this idea from my friend Richelle.
Grab some summery paper and make one with your kiddos tonight.
Or make a Days Until Sonic chain.  
Because I am.


My mom got and embroidery machine.
Yay!!!
I get to use it without the pesky buying and storing of it.
The best kind of embroidery machine to own!


Like my new 30 going on 13 glasses?
(As photographed by my four year old.)
Here's me, freckles and all.  
I am really trying to be un-OC and post a close up of my
un-retouched-too-many-years-in-the-sun-awesomeness.
Why didn't I listen to my mom and wear sunscreen?
A tan teenager grows up to be crazy, splotchy adult.


My dear friend Alicia is in the process of opening an Etsy shop.
Look for cuteness like this to follow.


Vote for my littlest one in the Cutest Candy Clipper contest at 
Because she is the cutest.
(She's Candy Clipper #3)
Even if I am totally biased.
She's the cutest.

Enough with the random.
Adios.

24 Comments
Posted in

Making do

I go to sleep thinking about this print.
I wake up thinking about this print.
I want it more than anything in the world right now.
(Besides a craft room and world peace.)
But buying it would go against what it says.
MAKE DO AND MEND
If I was really serious about it, I would make do 
with one of the prints I already have.
Or even better, "mend" it into something else.
But I don't want to.
I want the real thing.
But then again, I don't even have a wall to hang it on.


Unless....
I hang it next to this AWESOME hole in the drywall that may never be fixed.
Then, when I see the MAKE DO part of the print I will no longer be sad.
Do you think that would work?
But then I would have to follow through on the MEND part.
Drywaller, I am not.


I searched all Fall and Winter for the perfect fabric to make new pillows with.
Nothing captured me, so I kept the Summery 
ones out all through the cold months.
(Irritated too, I might add.)


Wouldn't you know, now that it is Spring, look at what I found:
Exactly what I wanted in my imagination.
Six months too late.
So, I will make do with my Summer pillows 
and wait until Fall to change them.
Boo.
Patience is not one of my best characteristics.


Another thing that I am again obsessing over is Toffee Crack.
Evil, evil, evil.
So instead I am making do with these little treats.  
Ha ha ha.
Actually, they aren't all that bad.
Fiberlicious even.


I am also making do without my beloved/ hated Diet Pepsi.
This tea came recommended on good 
authority to help battle my addiction.

I do believe however, that the person who sang 
it's praises is secretly trying to kill me.

I may never recover from the one sip I took.
(Throwing up in my mouth was involved.)

I can sort of see the allure.  
It might be really good if they took the anise out.

Anise and I are NOOOOOOOOOT friends.
Sworn enemies actually.
Right up there with popsicle sticks, bananas, ketchup and Twilight.
Denise dear, I am sending this box your 
way and I will work on forgiving you.
You couldn't have possibly know how weird I am about anise.

21 Comments
Posted in , ,

Purple cats eating popsicles.

When I approached Heather to use her mad art skillz to 
decorate Halley and Lucy's room she asked me what I wanted.  
I gave her a basic color scheme and theme and told her to take it from there.

She threatened to paint pictures of
purple cats
eating popsicles.

Which is hilarious in all of it's un-awesomeness.

But I one upped it to:
purple cats
eating popsicles
reading Twilight.

Thankfully she sent me the most gorgeous, amazing, ridiculously perfect
set of sassy mermaids and funky hibiscus.
With sparkles,
(Sparkles are Halley's number one love language.)
and messy flowers!!!!
Seriously adorable messy flowers.

How jealous are you right now?

Heather is amazing.  Not only is she an artist,
she was the one who literally saved the Cora's Playground 
project from my disorganized hands, 
 throws the most gorgeous parties,
is an insane caterer,
beautiful writer,
adores her husband
and is a phenomenal mother.

I love them Heather.  
More than purple cats, eating popsicles, reading Twilight.

But for all of you purple cat loving, popsicle eating, Twilight reading friends,
before you remove my blog from you bookmarks,
I am going to highlight some art you might be interested in.

Wouldn't you know... there are 10 pages of Purple Cat Prints on Etsy.

Two pages of Popsicle Prints...

and over 30 pages of Twilight ones.

I bet if you asked really nicely,
Heather would paint you your own set of 
purple vampire cat popsicle prints too.

16 Comments
Posted in ,

Baby Dots Giveaway

Polka dots make me happy.
So do sweet Etsy shops.

Filled with classic designs that celebrate childhood.
Summer, the designer behind the goodness is constantly inspired by her baby Savannah.
She has always been passionate about creating with anything and everything salvageable, but she found her niche while making something for Savannah to wear at Christmas.  
Since then her polka dot happiness has blossomed into a very special shop.
What I feel makes her designs really special is the 
signature shape on the back of each garment.  
Details like that are what makes handmade 
items stand apart from mass produced ones.
I love her sense of humor.
This picture is so brilliant.
What a perfect shirt for those numerous "crabby" toddler days.
How handsome and proud is this guy in his own initial tee?
A certain little monkey in this household can be seen in this dress.
Let me just tell you from experience, her stitching and details are so perfect.
When this came in the mail I wanted to pack 
my sewing machine up and go in a corner to cry.
I also wanted to cry when my monkey girl came home from fro-yo with Jason. 
Fun dad lets her have chocolate yogurt.
Mean mom (with stain OCD) does not.
But never fear.  
Baby Dots are durable too.  
They passed the horrific chocolate disaster with ease.
Summer is giving away your choice of tee or onesie.
Hooray!
You will have a number of ways to win.
(Please leave a different comment for each entry.)
1. Hop over to her shop, come back here and tell me your favorite item.
2. Have an idea of a design you would like to see?
3. Blog about her shop or this giveaway.
4. Facebook it to your friends.
5.  Tweet about it on Twitter.
6. Make a purchase at Baby Dots.

Entries will close at noon Pacific time on Monday May 11th.

I have a feeling that as soon as you go to her shop you won't be able to resist.
So don't fret, I have good news.
Summer is generously offering free shipping this weekend to all of my cool readers.

Told you polka dots are happy!

87 Comments
Posted in ,

simple bandana dress tutorial

Summer already feels like it has arrived.
What is more summery than a simple sundress made from ribbons and bandanas?
This is a wonderful beginner project.  
Easy straight line sewing and no finishing of seams.
Plus, it can be made for around $5.
Make one for all of the summer birthday girls in your life.
It will fit sizes 12 months- 5 years as a dress.
5 years and up as a long top.
The sizing is custom to the chest measurement of your child.


Supplies:
Two bandanas
3 yards of 1 1/2 inch ribbon
3/4 inch non-roll elastic
Coordinating thread
(I purchased all of my supplies at Walmart.)


Line the bandanas up,
right sides together.  
Mine weren't the exact same size, so I just made 
sure that the bottom seam matched.


If yours has printing on it, make sure that it is at the top so it won't show.
Sew along the right and left sides backstitching at the beginning and end.

Fold down the top 1 inch.
Pin.
If you are fancy feel free to iron.
I'm too lazy.


Sew as close to the bottom as possible.  
Leave a three inch gap so you can insert the elastic.


I usually cut a piece of elastic a few inches less than the chest measurement.
Attach a safety pin to one side and thread through.


When the elastic is all of the way through, overlap and pin it together.


Sew a little box on the overlapped pieces.
Trim any excess.
Sew closed the opening, matching up with the original stitches.


Now you have what looks like (and could be...) a skirt.
On to the straps.


Cut two 40 inch pieces.
Seal the ends with a lighter.
Pin them a few inches in from each side seam.
I just eyeball it.


Stretch the elastic and sew the ribbon to your original stitching.
I like to make sort of an inverted T to keep the elastic in place.
Totally optional.


Cut an 8 inch piece of ribbon and heat seal edges.
Fold and pin it to look like an awareness ribbon.


Pin it to the middle back inside seam.
Sew along the original stitches.

The long pieces of ribbon will thread through this loop 
in a V shape between the collarbones.
A fun big bow will keep the dress in place.

Clip all stray thread, turn it inside out and you are done!!!


My models are still sleeping (love naptime crafts!) so here is the 
Minnie Mouse version that Halley wore last summer on the Disney cruise.

Happy sewing!

53 Comments
Posted in , ,