KIDS CRAFTS || SUMMER FUN CALENDAR

since this momma has been so busy lately i decided to try something this summer to help get the kids involved in staying organized during july and august. a summer fun calendar!

it helps me to have a reminder to not just work but to also have some fun and play with my girlies. i really love calendars, day timers, journals etc and heck - any excuse to draw and color is always good in my book! so we decided to make our own summer fun jumbo calendar! i got the kiddos to draw the calendar and then write and color in all the activities they would like to do each day! they had a blast doing it and so did i.

they wake up each day and run to check what's on the calendar and we plan accordingly.

now don't get me wrong, i'm not supermom by a long shot. not every activity gets done but it's fun to try! and it's even more fun to come up with imaginative ones like on august 1st my oldest wants to open her own sewing shop!!! i mean how cute is that? she is going to set up her own pretend shop in the condo and sell her sewn wares. my heart is bursting! adorbs!

would you like to make one too? get your kiddos to follow along with the pics below and help them draw up your own jumbo SUMMER FUN CALENDAR!

STEP ONE: DRAW YOUR CALENDAR LINES

STEP TWO: WRITE IN YOUR MONTH, DAYS OF THE WEEK AND NUMBERS

STEP THREE: COLOR & WRITE IN YOUR ACTIVITIES

STEP FOUR: HAVE FUN!!!

do you  have a summer calendar or fun activity you do to help stay organized during the summer? i'd love to hear about it! pour yourself a cuppa and come chat :)

MOMENTS IN THE MOMMYHOOD - SUMMERTIME CRAFTS

life has been busy to say the least around here.

with m home from school for the summer it's been a bit of a balancing act for this momma to keep all my work going and have 2 kidlets at home with me. the weather has been gorgeous though so we've been having fun and days have been filled with laughs, crafts & good times.

but all that aside it's not always easy. i have some BIG & exciting news to share with you all.  not yet....but soon. i've been working really, really hard in the background on a secret. it's taken up a lot of heart & soul and a lot of time. i've also been trying to keep up with all of my other creative projects and of course - the blog.

how does one do all of that without losing it? no sleep and a lot of hard work.

it's been fun though and on the up side the sally dress is also now out to testers as we speak!!! phew!  i can't wait to get it out to you all and see some awesome sally dresses online!!!! so excited! hopefully the pattern will be out at the end of the month! i'm crossing my fingers! i've got some great testers working on them right now! thank you again to all who applied. there were so many talented sewers i seriously did a first come/first serve based on size sort of thing. i honestly so appreciate all your enthusiasm! it was so sweet of all of you! thank you for your support!

what have the kiddos and i been up to? 

i'm a strong believer in creative and independent play in our house. we are in a condo so while we can't be outside all day everyday we can still be adventurous and have fun.  we've been loving the video series by my friend caroline of the fab blog "salsa pie" for pbs parents on crafting with kids! we recently made the diy water bottle boat and the kids played with it for at least an hour and a half and then took it in the bath with them that night!  we're going to work our way through the whole series.

another fun series we've been loving is "camp classic play" by the blog classic play. so many fun activities and crafts to do there as well! also be sure to check out the online mag "crafting connections". it's "a creative magazine (and more) for little ones & grown ups". i'm loving their new paper mache tea set!

in our house the glues sticks are flying, tape is being...well....taped...scissors are cutting, boxes are being recycled into fun projects and smiles are on our faces! 

i also recommend the books you can find in your local book stores on crafts that are sort of like phonics books. we have the kumon big book of crafts and really like it. i seriously almost peed my pants making the masks you see on the girls from that book. i laughed so hard. i mean really....is that not funny?

it's always good fun to see your kids look like an animal...hahaha. a raccoon and a kittycat to be exact.

we also have some fashion design, origami, jewelry and more to work our way through this summer. as well as our local library reading club that the kids are enjoying and forts galore i think so far we're holding it together pretty well this summer considering this momma has a big deadline coming up :)

and before i go we have a winner for the c. johannesen jewelry giveaway! the winner is.........

 commenter #49 - kristin of sew technicolor

congratulations kristin! we'll be in touch with you soon!

so...what have you been up to this summer? do you have any fun craft/activities that you recommend for indoor playtime? i'd love to hear about them! wishing you all a crafty, creative and sunshine & laughter filled weekend!

Christmas Tree Skirt Roundup - Holiday Crafting Support Group

my poor christmas tree has been ahem....naked shall we say for the last 5 christmases.  i've been shamefully using an old white receiving blanket draped around the bottom of the tree.  it's a sad boring excuse of a tree skirt and i admit i hate putting it there every year.  so this year i've decided to "try" to get one made.  no pressure...just adding it to my would love to have done this holiday season list.

after reading a comment on last week's holiday crafting support group post requesting a christmas tree skirt roundup i thought "aha...now that's exactly what i need to roundup".  so here you go!  i got out my lasso and rounded up what i think are some spiffy and purdy christmas tree skirts.  you've got quilted, pieced, felt, no sewing, knitted and crocheted tree skirts.  have fun & most of all i hope you get inspired!  also, if you  know of an awesome tutorial of your own or one you love please leave a link to it in the comments below and i'll add it to the "your faves" section of this post! alrighty...go pour yourself a nice big glass of (spiked) egg nog and let's get crafty!

 ||  SEWING TUTORIALS  ||

1. vintage embroidered tree skirt 2. sewing 101 tree skirt on design sponge

1. rockin' retro christmas tree skirt 2. spiderweb christmas tree skirt 3. christmas tree skirt in july

no sew ruffled christmas tree skirt

1. striped tree skirt 2. ruffled tree skirt 3. ruffled tree skirt 4. scalloped felt tree skirt

simply quilted patchwork tree skirt from sew 4 home

1. cloud9 christmas tree skirt 2. festive christmas tree skirt 3. buddy the elf tree skirt 4. fur trimmed tree skirt 5. diy ruched tree skirt

diy felt flower tree skirt

1. quilted tree skirt 2. christmas tree skirt

christmas tree skirt tutorial from simple simon & co

1. poinsetta tree skirt tutorial 2. heirloom wool tree skirt

||  KNITTING & CROCHET TUTORIALS  ||

granny tree skirt

1. silent night tree skirt 2. snowball tree skirt

retro ripples skirt

hemlock ring blanket

||  MORE LINKS & YOUR FAVES  ||

- stars all around the tree skirt pattern from simplicity
- hexagon tree skirt tutorial by jaceycraft
- esch house quilts north pole tree skirt tutorial
- bird in hand quilts christmas tree skirt
- fruitcake under my tree tutorial 
- christmas tree skirt from pauls block party
- silent night tree skirt
- round ripple tree skirt
- star tree skirt
- granny tree skirt
- diy no sew rufffle christmas tree skirt tutorial
- christmas tree skirt

you can find all the holiday crafting support group posts here.

link up, join in, comment below, add pics to our flickr group and take part in our conversations on ravelry too! we want to see what you're making, planning on making and what you've got planned for the holiday season.  if you've posted about holiday crafting add your link in the comments below as well.  it's way more fun if you all join in (if enough people comment i may just start a wee linky party for us to use). i loved seeing all of your holiday gift lists last week! i added about another gazillion projects to my faves :)

what's your favorite christmas tree skirt?  knit, crocheted, sewn or crafted?  do you have a fave pattern?  have you made your own christmas tree skirt before?  fill us in!  show off your handiwork!  let us know how your gift making & decorating has been going :)

oh martha...i heart you!

holy bananas folks! check out the loot in the pic above! i am one lucky lady!  i couldn't resist showing you all a shot i took of all the oh so lovely goodies that plaid crafts sent to me for the martha stewart mother's day campaign that i am part of with blueprint social!  when this box showed up at my door i think i might have screamed loud enough to scare my neighbours....seriously...it was nutso in our house.  like 10 christmases put together in one..lol.  the kidlets fed off my energy and we all just stood around the box pulling items out and squealing more and more. thankfully the hubby was not home to see such fanatics going on...he would have razzed me for years to come and i never would have lived it down :P

stay tuned this month as crafty bloggers all over the blogosphere (myself included) whip up some fun tutorials for mother's day using the goodies you see above.  to say i am excited is an understatement.  i get to paint on fabric....yep, i'm a happy girl folks.  oh martha.....i heart you!

just in case you don't want to wait for my upcoming tute to find out more about plaid crafts (thank you plaid crafts!!) and the fabulous martha stewart crafts paint line you find more about them below:

website  |  facebook  |  pinterest  |  twitter 

i'm taking it easy today and weekend wishes will be back next week.  the kiddos are still under the weather, i'm fighting off a bad cold  and so is the hubs so oj and knitting it is on the menu for me.  what are you up to this weekend?  are you a fan of  the martha stewarts crafts line as well?  have you tried painting on fabric before?  have a wonderful, martha stewart kinda weekend filled with sunshine, good health, laughs, family and lots of coffee! see you on monday!

find my post disclosure here.

techie blues & crafty news

Source: honeypieliving - flickr.com via Becca on Pinterest

coffee's on...but my computer isn't :(  having some technical issues again all last night and this morning.  my poor laptop doesn't seem to be staying connected to the internet.  not sure if it's my wireless or my laptop.  gotta get the hubs to figure it out tonight.  in the meantime the post that i had planned for today will have to wait for next week which bums me out because i was super excited to show you all.

super troopers cross stitch from pixel people

i'm going to spend this extra "unplugged" time working on trying to find some way to choose my hat and mitt patterns for the "warm up to winter" knit along.  i keep changing my mind over and over again.  so many patterns, too small a yarn budget..lol.  i made a promise to myself that i would have to use my stash and i have to stick to it.  i'm also still trying to get done my cross stitch of super troopers from pixel people for the hubs bday this month.  we'll see how that goes and i'm super excited that i'll also be working on this....weeeeeeeee!!!!

sunki by figgy's

that's right....sunki is in my house!  so excited to make this dress and i have the perfect fabric for it.  i'm making it in harper's size and can't wait to show you all in my upcoming pattern review for figgy's. i also decided on a quilt pattern for mackenzie's quilt.  i'm waiting on tad more fabric and then i'm whipping out my old frenemie the rotary cutter.  let's all cross our fingers that this time the cutting goes much smoother :)  hopefully hers won't take me as long as harper's did to complete because my quilt has been waiting patiently for me since xmas of 2010.  i'm making it out of dream on and my bedroom has been waiting for it forever!

we're heading over to a friend of mine's today to pick out some fabric for a custom designed laptop bag and a new wallet!!! eeeeeee!  gotta a love a little fabric party! my pal is uber talented and makes the most fab bags!  she's going to be one of or newest sponsors and i can't wait to tell you all about her but in the meantime i'm keeping it hush hush until the big reveal :P  so even though my computer is acting up at least i can drown my frustrations with technology with some good ol' sewing, yummy fabrics and cozy yarns!  and the icing on the cake - snuggles from my 2 cuddly girlies!  best thing to brighten up my day!

what are you all up to today? did you all notice that blogger has enabled threaded commenting now!  i am soooooo excited! now i can reply direct to each comment! as a blogger this makes my life SO much easier.  wordpress has had this functionality for ages and it's about time blogger got it too.  now to find out a way to get my numbered comments back....anyone figured out a new hack yet?  i've got a giveaway coming soon and need me some numbers :)

hope you are all having a great day!  fill me in on what you've been working on.  are you sewing or knitting? have you chosen your pattern for the kal yet?  are you joining in?  let's chat!

Fabric Christmas Tree Ornament Tutorial

are you guys getting in the festive spirit yet?  we are!  with the hubs finally done his exam we crammed all the xmas goodness we could into our weekend.  it was lots of fun and pics of our adventures are coming.  in the meantime i thought i would share this fun fabric christmas tree ornament tutorial with you all.  i wanted to put together a cute ornament using some amy butler scraps along with some button love and hand stitching - thus the tree was born.  we had a lot of fun in our house making a few of these and we plan on making a few more!

you ready to get making some ornaments?  grab the kids and jump into your fabric scrap stash...i love digging around in mind looking for treasures and so do the kidlets!  let's get making!

Fabric Christmas Tree Ornament Tutorial:

Materials:
- scraps of fabric
- batting
- glue gun w/glue
- brown felt for stump (approx 3"high & 1"wide)
- button for top of tree (optional)
- embroidery floss
- sewing needle
- pinking shears (optional)

Instructions:
*Please note I will be giving you directions to make "1" tree.
1. On a piece of paper draw and cut out 3 triangles in 3 different graduating sizes going from large to small to form the tree.  Play around with your sizes.  My tree was about 5" or so high not counting the stump when finished.  You don't want it too big if you're putting it on the tree or it will be too heavy. I do think a large one would look cool on a door as a hanger or on the wall as well.  Have some fun with it or even better get the kids to draw the triangles for you!

2. Get out your fabric scraps and fold them in half so they are equal to or more of the height of the triangle.  Once you have your triangle templates cut out place them on your fabric scraps (you could also make this tree out of felt as well).  Place the bottom of the triangle on the fold of your fabric so that way you only have to sew up two sides of the triangle after stuffing them (hint: your triangle will look like sort of like a diamond when you open it up).  We're all about fast here :) Cut out your triangles.  I pinked along the edges of mine with pinking shears so they didn't unravel and also because it reminded me of a tree but this is optional.  You will be cutting out 3 triangle pieces only.  Each triangle you cut will fold to form a 3 dimensional triangle.

3. Get your brown felt out (or whatever material you choose to use) for the stump.  You will cut out a rectangle that is 3"high by 1"wide.  This will be attached later.

4. Grab your embroidery floss in a co-ordinating or contrasting color and using three strands held together start to sew the largest triangle shut (right sides facing out - wrong sides facing each other) using the running stitch or whichever decorative stitch you desire that will hold the triangle closed.  I am a crappy hand sewer but I like doing it so mine is not perfect, don't worry about perfection here - it's supposed to look handmade! Once you get to about half way done the last side get your batting and stuff that little triangle.  Not too much though, just enough for it to be softly poofy.  Continue to stitch your triangle closed.  My daughter loves to help stuff crafts so this is her official job in our house :)  Do this step for the middle triangle as well.

5. Now we're going to stitch up the top triangle.  Start stitching the triangle closed along your first side then when you reach the top stop and place in a piece of embroidery floss the size you would like your ornament hanger to be that is folded in half to form a loop.  Place the two ends of the floss inside the top of the triangle and stitch over the top of the triangle (I backstitched a few times here to make sure I secured the floss) and then continue to sew down your other side taking care to stop to stuff this triangle as well - stitch the rest closed.

6.  Now get that glue gun heated up ladies!  I forgot how much I love using a glue gun.  Mine has sadly been ignored for quite some time but my little girl was sure pleased to have seen it!  She thought it was pretty cool.  You're going to take your piece of brown felt and fold it in half gluing the open ends together along the short side (1") ends so it forms a loop of sorts.  Then place a line of glue along the outer side of this same edge and glue to the bottom of the largest triangle. *I chose to have the side where you could see my stitches be the "right side" of my tree as the back of this tree is not as pretty as the front :P

7.  Glue your tree together.  The easiest way to do this I found was to dollop a line of glue along the bottom edge of the medium triangle and stick that puppy on the largest triangle where you would like it.  Wait for this to dry then using the glue gun touch up any spots that are loose or wobbly so that the triangle is very secure.  Next do this for the top triangle and attach it to the middle triangle.

8.  Now it's time to add your button! This is my favorite part.  I looooove me some buttons.  I let Mackenzie have her way through my button jar to pick her faves out for the 2 trees we made.  Once you've found your button simply glue that puppy on to the top of your tree or if you so desire you can sew it on.  I preferred to just hot glue mine though - the kids were getting restless :)  *I hope all the steps make sense..if anyone has any questions send an email my way to luvinthemommyhood@yahoo.ca or let me know if you feel like it would be better to have some illustrations showing you what I did.  My kiddos are both sick with colds today but I can always add them in for you later.

you're all done!  go hang your pretty ornament or tie it on a lovely wrapped gift as a special little pressie!  mine have gone to 2 lovely homes of 2 lovely women :)  i hope they like them as much as we did when were making them.  i'd love to see your trees if you make any -  make sure to add all your crafty goodies you've been whipping up into our flickr group!  happy making!

what is your fave handmade ornament to make?  do you agree that amy butler fabric makes a great pop of color to add to any tree?  which fabric would you use if you were to make one?  hope you all had a wonderful weekend.

holiday crafting ideas & roundups!

i don't know about you guys but i'm in full on christmas crafting mode!  i thought i would give you all a hand and remind of you the fun roundups we had last season to help keep us inspired and a tad less stressed for the holidays.

wreath roundup

garland roundup

christmas stocking roundup

remember my my paper wreath?   i still have up what was my fave christmas craft from last year. i turned it from a wreath (paper leaves taped onto a cardboard base made from a pizza box...lol) into a mirror.  easy peasy and one of my fave things in our home.

paper mirror wreath

paper wreath

and just for fun....here's some fabulous tutorials from me and other fabulous guest bloggers that would make some wonderful xmas pressies for loved ones :)

1. the mallory cowl pattern 2. the carefree cowl pattern

1. infinity & beyond scarf tutorial

1. sunburst pillow  2. everest: the ultimate knitting needle organizer

1. legwarmers

1. jardain coasters  2. nesting cups

1. lace belt  2. dad's tie to gadget case  3. the buff cuff  4. organic dishcloths

to find more fun roundups to get inspiration from check out all of my link luv roundups and theme months here that include a ton of awesome guest posts for adults, babies/kids and your home. alos don't forget to head over to the headquarters of  comfy sews vs cozy knits on "versus". check out both the tutorials and the roundups there too!  lots of goodies galore to be sewn, knit or crocheted!

happy crafting!!!!  i'm hoping to put together another xmas roundup for you all this month...what would you like to see the most?  what is the one thing you make for xmas decor every year?

Kids Crafternoon Blog Party - Felting & Beading

i'm so happy to have another book review for you guys today!  i'm excited to be part of the kids crafternoon blog party for two new releases "beading" and "felting" from publisher hardie grant books.  both books contain 25 fun and crafty projects that are perfect for an afternoon filled with creative goodness.  both books are edited by the fabulous kathreen ricketson of one of my fave blogs "whipup".  kathreen is also the author of our recently reviewed "little bits quilting bee" and "mini quilts".

 

both books are very well laid out and organized.  i adore the template pockets in front...so handy for us moms to have.  the ring binding was also a hit in our house.  i love ring binding for craft books when you need the pages to stay open while big and little hands are crafting away.  the colors, instructions and illustrations used throughout the book were clear, concise and very easy to follow.  even though my daughter is only 4 they held her attention.  they both covered techniques, tools, how to's, safety etc in the start of each book.



we had a great time sitting down together on a rainy, gloomy day and flipping through both of these bright, cheerful and imaginative craft books.  to say that we found a few new projects to make would be a lie.
 

i think we would happily make just about every project in both books but the one that caught our eye first was the adorable eraser head from "felting".  here's our version:

isn't she cute?  we love her.  mack named her tessa...lol.  took no time at all to make and mackenzie got to practice her cutting & measuring skills while learning how momma sews buttons on.  she also decided what color felt, buttons and drew the mouth for me to stitch.  we had a lot of fun making one and i see many more in our household :)  each project in these books gives you a time approximation that it would take to make.  i love that.  sometimes even i think something will be quick and it ends up being way too involved for my wee one to sit through so having a timeline is super helpful for us.  this project took us maybe 15 minutes once we had all our supplies gathered.  it's still being played with as i type this.  here's some of our faves from felting:

and we can't forget about beading!  i found more than a few things momma & daughter wanted out of this one...

seriously...how cute are these projects?

we are die hard mario bros fans in our house and these magnets have to be made :)

i also love the frames and skull bag!  so fun!

love it!!!  these books do not disappoint and true to kathreen's impeccable taste and style she's put together two fabulous books filled with what crafting should always be about - imagination and FUN!   thanks so much to hardie grant and kathreen for inviting me along on the tour!  both books will be well used in our homes and with the rainy/winter season upon us this mom thanks you :)

you can find all the kids crafternoon book series here:

felting  |  beading  |  sewing  |  papercraft

 14-Nov:  Lisa Tilse from The Red Thread

15-Nov:  Suzie Fry from soozs
16-Nov:  Larissa Holland from mmmcrafts
17 Nov:  Pascale Mestdagh from Between the Lines
18 Nov:  Christine Chitnis from Christine Chitnis
19 Nov:  Holly Keller from Chez Beeper Bebe
20 Nov:  Monica Solorio-Snow from Happy Zombie
21 Nov:  Cate Holst from Go Make Me
22 Nov:  Shannon Cook from Luvinthemommyhood
23 Nov:  Jennifer Casa from JCHandmade
24 Nov:  Kate from Picklebums
25 Nov:  Steph Morgan from Modern Parents Messy Kids
26 Nov:  Kara Fleck from Simple Kids
27 Nov:  Maddie from Li’l Magoolie
28 Nov:  Jackie Boucher from Oh Dee Doh
29 Nov:  Bianca from Sadie and Lance
30 Nov:  Tricia Hogbin from Little Eco Footprints
01 Dec:  Lisa Siebert guest posting at Poppytalk 

what are your favorite types of projects to craft with your kids?  do you have a fave you'd like to share?  do you have any of the kids crafternoon books?  what did you love about them?  let's talk crafts ladies!

Birdsong Bows Giveaway!

oh boy...another giveaway for you ladies!  i figured since i'm stuck on bed rest you all should get to a chance to win some fabulous prizes! fun!  today's giveaway is from my fabulous sponsor "birdsong bows"!  owner deanna has created a shop filled with wonderful e-books and tutorials showing you how to make bows, bows and more bows!  there's also tutus, headbands, barrettes, and ribbon and fabric flowers!  perfect for the holidays and for that special little girl in your life!

birdsong bows sells professional, high quality patterns & tutorials to make for that special little girl in your life. these detailed, user friendly, e-books provide bright, clear step by step instructions as well as access to special video tutorials. fabulous for people like me that are visual learners!

i mean what little girl doesn't love a bow?  so adorable!  even i love bows and i'm an adult :P  the owner of birdsong bows - deanna, is a writer/editor, wife & mom to 2 little girls, whose love of her craft really shines through. these beautiful patterns are easy to follow & allow you to create your own timeless handmade pieces with ease.

i love the idea of making custom bows.  make them up to match your child's fave colors or that special outfit.  birdsong bows are the perfect way to learn how to make that oh so special accessory that your little girl will treasure!  the hairdresser in me just squeals with excitement over these!

would you like to learn how to make your own too?

- winners choice of a "3 pack bundle of tutorials" from birdsong bows! thanks deanna!

- simply leave me a comment below telling me what birdsong bow pattern you would love!

- all comments must include a valid email address or you will be disqualified.

- giveaway is open until november 21st, 2011, midnight pacific standard time.

you can find more birdsong bows on their website, facebook page here (look for special coupons & discounts) and read more about deanna's adventures with bows on her blog here where you can also find free tutorials too!  have fun ladies & good luck!  

p.s. you still have today to enter in the "little bits quilting bee" book and you can also enter to win a copy of "coastal knits"! wowsa!

busy bee....come craft with me!

knit pressie being made in knitpicks gloss

i've been a busy bee lately....buzzing around trying to find the time to fit in all my little projects that i have on the go.  i'm about half way done the lovely knit pressie in the pic above and let me just say....i looooooove it.  i will definitely be making at least one more of these before the year is over.  hopelessly addicted to them.  stay tuned in the next few weeks to see what and who it's for :)

i got a chance to head over to the fab local shop here in victoria -  "buttons & needlework boutique" to drool over some scrumptious yarns and needlepoint goodies.  i picked up the floss i needed for the gift i'm making the hubs.  he's a big fan of the movie "supertroopers" so when i spotted a pattern over in "wee little stitches" etsy shop for the movie in cross stitch i almost died.  i cannot wait to get started :)  he just moved into a fancy new building and i thought a little pressie for his desk was definitely in order.

a big thank you to reader barbara for gifting me some gorgeous turquoise lace in the mail!  how sweet is that!!!!  made my day barbara!  i can't wait to get going on a few new projects this winter to add this lace too!

thanks to nina for sourcing this..it's by tula pink in the prince charming collection (laminate)

and while we are on the subject of pressies one of my buds rebecca of "nook" surprised me at knit night with this gorgeous laminate cotton!  i'd been hunting locally for some to do an upcoming tutorial i have in the works so it was super sweet of her!  thank you becca!!! 

i picked up some lion brand wool-ease thick & quick yarn from the local michaels (great 50% off coupon on their website too) that was on sale for $6.49 a skein!  when this stuff goes on sale...stock up!  it's great for cowls, hats and many other bulky, yummy knits for the fall!  it's got acrylic in it, but it's super soft with the combo of lamb's wool and it's machine washable too.

while i was in michaels i couldn't resist picking up this little tin to store some of my knitpicks and knitting notions in when i go to knit night.  i got a chuckle out of it and i'm hopelessly addicted to all their dollar bins that i obsessively buy magnetic notepads from.  my fridge is covered in them to keep my life organized.

i also realized i had completely forgotten to show you all my cell phone case that i made.  i know we all chatted about it on facebook and i made it that night but i never got around to posting it.  so here ya go :)  i like it a lot.  it was super fast and easy to make and i was so happy to use up some of my fave amy butler scraps that i had kicking around.  i cannot remember who the designer is for the inner print but i use it a lot as well.  i'm thankful for the hubs for letting me use a feminine print for the phone case even though he may carry it around...luv ya hun!

so what have you all been up to?  i want to hear what projects you finished, are working on or are dreaming of starting.  link up to your blogs too...i really enjoy seeing pics and paying you a visit too :)

moments in the mommyhood - unplugged & a chuckle

Source: etsy.com via joanamc on Pinterest

i'm unplugging from the computer for a bit today to take the kids and get outside.  also, the hubs is home sick today so i've decided to be his nursemaid.  i'm also having one of my "endo" days (for those of you who don't know i suffer from endometriosis) so last night was a not so productive evening on my part for blogging.  it was productive for going to bed a bit early though.

Source: mrspriss.com via Sarah on Pinterest

and i mean really, i just needed an exuse to post the above pic of the "ferris bueller's day off" cross stitch pattern!  love it!  danke schön darlings, danke schön.

 
this shop rocks btw. it's called wee little stitches & i just about peed my pants when i saw her selection - breakfast club, pretty in pink, big bang theory, ghostbusters....awesome!!!  i can't decide which one i love the most.  go check it out if you wanna join me in my crush of all things contemporary cross stitch.  plus she's canadian!  you go girl!

how's your week going?  need a chuckle?  check out this resignation letter from some dude who recently quit whole foods.  the hubs showed it to me last night and i bust a gut laughing.  this guy is priceless.  hope you have a great day! i'll be back tomorrow with our yarn shop hop!  did you get your answers in yet?

Up your summer fun factor - the new mega issue of Action Pack is out!

school is out, summer is here (sort of weather wise) and we're all trying to figure out what the heck to do with our kids.  especially when they are older than toddlers & babies!  do you have a vacation planned?  road trip?  a break between summer camps?  well, look no further "action pack: a mini-mag for kids who want to do stuff " has their mega summer edition out!

a jumbo sized action pack filled with summer goodness and activities galore brought to you by the fabulously talented kathreen of whipup.net.  there's a great section on boredom busting games for those long car rides and bad weather days and check out these other great features as well:

- campfire recipes(yum!)

- weather experiments
- creative outdoor art projects
 
 and we can't forget about the crafts!  this super issue has bright, clear instructions for:

- a utility tool belt & bag perfect for your outdoor adventurer

- flower press & nature journal
- nature jewels & a woven fly swatter

and we all know that in the summer we all spend tons of time outdoors and this issue of action pack has a whole handy and resourceful section all on adventure & survival that includes super duper how to's to make your fishing rod & trap, how to safely light your own campfire & survival knot tying! !!  makes me want to go camping right now :P

how fun is that!!  seriously...i keep telling kathreen that i don't care that i'm not 7 years old, i want to do all the things in her awesome action packs!!! (you can find the other issues here) so fantastic!  so beat those summer boredom blues & get your copy of action pack today!  click here to go the shop - it's easy!  action pack is a downloadable e-zine that's available for the fabulously affordable price of $6!!!  hello!  $6 is a great price to pay for a jumbo mega-issue filled with activities, games, recipes & crafts for kids that may just help us mom's save our sanity and even enjoy an hour or two of peace and quiet :) so go have some fun! happy creating!!!

do you have a favorite summer craft or activity that you do with your kids?  what's your favorite boredom buster game for long car rides?  we all love tips to help make the summer that much more fun so share away folks!

i've got a thing for tea...

ok, you all know i've got a thing for tea. i know a lot of you do too. remember tea cup month? so fun! well i got super excited when i heard that kathreen of "whipup" had chosen tea & sew as her theme this month for her super fabulous e-mag 'action pack: a mini mag for kids who want to do stuff'! i love the whole premise!

it's perfect timing for mother's day and all things spring/summer & tea! learn how to sew a tea cup & jam tarts, brew your own tea & bake tea cookies, learn how to dye fabric with tea, make your own tea cozy and more! "this ‘tea & sew’ themed issue contains instructions & printables for a busy afternoon or two of tea drinking, cooking and sewing: lots of experimenting with flavours, sewing, dyeing and baking." there's also even the perfect project for mother's day included!

kathreen created 'action pack' with the idea of "inspiring kids to be creative, to develop and nurture healthy habits, and to feed inquisitive minds, and challenge imaginations". ‘target="new"action pack’ is designed for busy parents and creative energetic kids. needless to say i love it and this month's issue does not disappoint.

kathreen's even got something special for all you luvinthemommyhood readers just in time for mother's day. pick up your copy of 'action pack' and get 20% off!!!! wowsa! great deal ladies! it's valid for 2 days so get yours now! 'action pack' is only $5 (what a steal), is ad free and delivered right to your inbox in a gorgeous pdf! just enter this code at the checkout here:

AP3luvinthemommyhood

i have one and i plan on making/creating everything in it with or without my kids....haha, you're never too old to play right? so get crafty this spring! may is the perfect month for letting your imagination go wild with images of all things tea! happy sipping!

have you all bought action pack yet? what's your fave tea craft to make with kids? do your kids have a love of tea? what's the tea of choice in your house?

makin'it in the mommyhood - baby shower goodness part two

so you guys got a peek at the crafty baby shower i helped plan on the weekend on monday's post now here's the part where i show you what i made! yippee! rebecca and i wanted to give our guests a little gift to take home as a thank you for coming. my pal amy loves her tea and coffee and i came up with the idea to give everyone a few bags of one of her fave flavours of tea - peach! yummy! i knew i wanted to come up with a cute and crafty way to give them the tea so i thought why not sew up a pretty tea envelope to put the tea in?! fun right?


well let me tell you these little guys are very addicting!!! i had to stop myself from making like a hundred of them and adorning them with lace and trim and ric rac...ohhh, so many possibilities! i decided to keep them nice and simple and use my crafting scissors to make a pretty scallop edge for the flap and label. i used twine for the string and used my scissors again to make the scallop on the edge of each tag. the back of each tag and a hand printed thank you on them. i printed out the labels on the computer to use as a seal to close the envelope. i fit 3 large tea bags into each envelope and used the sewing machine to sew it all together! i love them! aren't they cute?


if anyone's interested i'd be more than happy to do up a tiny tutorial with a template that you can print out. it's pretty simple though so i wasn't sure any of you would even need it :) i'd love to hear your thoughts on it though.


i also wanted to give each guest a card i but didn't want it to be a card they just went home and recycled. i wanted it to be a card that they could give and pass on to someone else. i heart the idea of sewing on paper and try to make cards whenever i can this way. i had spotted some cards online that used ruffles and decided to have a go at making some. i used some natural art paper (not sure what it is...watercolor maybe?) that had been gifted to me and then used an old gift card as a template for sizing. i then cut out the fabric strips, ruffled them on the machine and then stitched them on the card using the sewing machine as well. easy peasy.


i think they look natural and oh, so pretty. again, these are addicting so be warned....there are also lots of options to customize these for your own taste as well. we used the tea envelopes and the blank cards for the table settings along with ribbon tied napkins to set the table for our guests.


now on to the gifts for the birthday boy! i decided that it was the perfect time to make dana's knee pad pants! i used a pair of harper's jeans as a template for the pattern and then whipped him up the cutest pair of pants using an old pair of my maternity jeans! nice and stretchy!!! i then repurposed a soft shirt of the hubs to make the knee pads with. adorable! the pics don't do the jeans justice. i squealed when i tried them on harper but my monkey wouldn't stay still long enough to get a decent shot.


i also had been dying to try my hand at making one of those super cute stuffed owls that have been floating around for ages. i couldn't find the exact one i wanted so i combined a few pics i saw of owl stuffies and winged it. i again repurposed my maternity jeans and jer's shirt for the owl. the jeans made up the body on the front and the hub's shirt makes a soft, snuggly back. the side fabric is from the "it's a hoot" line from moda and was scraps from harper's quilt. the polka dot was from my stash of scraps as well. gotta love scraps!

so what do you think??? you likey?? i'm so excited to finally show you all what i have been up to! it's been so fun. share your thoughts :) what have you been making? come add your pics to our flickr group!

moments in the mommyhood - baby shower goodness part one

the lovely momma amy...


the man of the hour jasper...


and my parnter in crime rebecca...


and a whole lotta crafty baby shower goodness. here's a peek at some pics from the shower.


handmade diaper cake goodness...complete with pompom bunting & hand knit stuffed elephant for jaspers room...


yummy food was eaten by all...


handmade gifts were given...


we made amy cry...hehe...


and all in all fun was had. jasper was an angel and slept through the whole shower so amy could relax and have fun. games were played, mimosas were drank and laughs were shared. all of us ladies got together at a local restaurant overlooking the ocean to share in a yummy sunday brunch.

my uber talented pal rebecca and i had so much fun planning this baby shower. we only wish we had more time in our days as we would have done three times as much goodies - it was that fun planning :) rebecca is a local knitting instructor (at cloth castle) and handmade that gorgeous pompom bunting, diaper cake, and stuffed elephant that was our centerpiece. she also made the opart baby blanket, in turquoise of course. amy and i share in our obsession with all things turquoise!

wowsa! you go rebecca! she is truly a knitting die hard and i love her for it! you can find the patterns for the stuffed elefante here (rebecca used the ears for the elephant from the pattern in last minute knitted gifts stuffed elephant instead) and the op art blanket here.

i made the thank you gifts for the guests as well as a pressie for amy but you'll have to stay tuned till later today to see those...heh heh. i'm super excited to show you all! thanks for all of your help rebecca - you rock, and thanks to you amy, for having such an adorable little man so we could spoil ya with crafty goodness :)

what's your favorite handmade gift to make for babies? have you thrown an handmade baby shower before? happy monday! let's chat!

doily crafts & diy roundup

ohhhhhh, i'm so excited about this roundup you guys! doilies have been on my mind a lot lately. maybe it's because the universe seems to be hiding them from me at all my local thrift haunts and because i'm just too darn lazy & busy to make my own but i just keep seeing project after project with these lovely pieces of granny chicness! it's been driving me a bit batty. so instead of sitting here wallowing in my doily self pity i decided to put together a lovely roundup filled with my FAVE doily crafts & diy's that i've spotted floating around the blogoshpere. there are so many options when it comes to creating with doilies these are just a sampling of the ones i'm inspired by and i didn't even dive into the paper doily crafts. there's enough of those to make a whole other post.

so go find some doilies, raid your granny's linen closet, your local thrift shop, make some, doesn't matter where you find them just get some and get creating! cover your furniture, your home decor, your clothes, your soaps.....heck even rocks! just use those lacy pieces of goodness. i promise it'll brighten up your day and add a smile to your face!

doily embroidery hoop and cluny lace necklace

vase & bowl, bracelets

doily table runner

1. embroidery hoop 2. crochet covered sea stones 3. doily in loop

doily top and baby onesie

1. doily covered soap 2. doily coasters 3. vintage doily bunting

1. starched doily basket 2. burlap doily luminaries
3. lace lamp 4. doily wallpaper!!!

doily pillows and baskets (via)

mega doily, doily art wall

snowflake chandelier and doily clock

ordinarily extraordinary blanket

1. doily headband 2. vintage doily votives
3. doily drapes (via) 4. doily hair accessories

that's a lot of doily goodness!!!! you still want more? ok......check these out.....

*summer napkins *doily tank top *doily bowl *doily table setting

and i was dying over the images in this post from sfgirlbybay!!! craziness!

reader faves:

vintage envelope pillow tutorial by blue eyed freckle
blue bird vintage hair love (hair pin doilies) from the rice babies
i had to add this in!!!!! doily clouds! so gorgeous! from hart + sew

how's that? still craving more? well...ok, i admit...i'm not doilied out yet either. you'd think i would be since i was up all night starting at doilies online but i think i need a tad more. i want to know what your favorite doily crafts are. leave me a comment with your link, share it with me on our facebook page or email it to me and i'll add it to the post! we love reader faves around here!!! let's get linking! happy creating ladies! now all we need is some tea to go with our doilies :)

action pack: a mini-mag for kids who want to do stuff

i was so excited to find out that kathreen of "whipup" is launching march 1st a fab new mini-mag called "action pack: a mini-mag for kids who want to do stuff".  geared to kids aged 7 and up this is the perfect thing to get the tween crowd making, playing and creating!  after all, not all of us have kidlets that are wee ones. 

kathreen developed action pack with "busy parents and creative energetic kids in mind".  it's an easy printable pdf, costs only $5 (wow!), there's no ads and it's filled to the brim with "20 pages of craft projects, outdoor activities, cooking, drawing & more, everything a kid needs for a weekend (or two) of activities".  all the projects inside are kid tested and approved :)

projects like beeswax candles, lip balm & hand lotion (with your own labels!), beeswax dipped origami boats (they float), honey cinnamon cake, drawing lessons, fun facts & more!  ummmmm, i wanna be a kid so i can do the projects in action pack. hello....these are fabulous!  such a great idea! 

most of my readers know i'm a big believer in encouraging handmade in my home so to see this kind of publication come out to encourage not only our wee ones, but also our tweens, teens and everything else in between to create and use their imaginations does my heart good.  you can download and purchase your copy of action pack here for only $5 buckaroos.  skip the latte....you won't regret it.

you can also find lots of other crafty inspiration and goodness over at kathreen's blog - whipup.  you are sure to find more than enough projects to keep you busy and your kids.

so get inspired, find a project and get creating!  your imagination awaits!  what is your favorite kind of craft, experiment or project to do with your kids?  would your child love action pack?

room with a new view

do you ever get sick of staring at the same view day after day while breastfeeding?  we sit day after day, hour after hour breastfeeding and looking at the same darn view.  i know, i could change rooms, but i like to nest and i have my fave spot on the couch, my fave end so to speak and i nest there.  i've got my drinks (water, coffee), my remotes, snack, nail clippers (for the baby), my laptop & table it's on(piled high with dayplanners and sketchbooks/ring binders), my knitting and of course - the "view".  

i have a basic circle mirror from ikea hanging above my mantle that was just missing some va va voom.  i didn't know what the heck to do with it, but it's been driving me batty.  i was going to take it down but for some reason just couldn't bring myself to do it.

remember this wreath?  well it was the size of a grocery story pizza box.  just right for a holiday decoration but it just didn't seem to have enough oomph once all the decorations were down.  it looked too lonesome where i had it.  again, i found myself torn...wanting to keep it up but unable to find the right home for it.  then inspiration hit me.  why not do the same thing on the mirror?

so i took the leaves off the cardboard and simply attached them to the mirror instead.  ohhh, sticky tape i do love you.  i had to cut out more leaves but it was just a fun project to do with mackenzie.  we cut and stuck our pretty white paper leaves to our boring mirror and shazam a new view.  gotta love that.  now while breastfeeding i feel inspired just that little bit more to step outside of my comfort zone and try something new.  even repurposed items can be repurposed.  i  so love that. 

Say cheese!

so get inspired ladies.  don't settle for the same ol' boring view.  mix it up.  move something around, turn something into something else.  just make "your nest" a happy place.  where do you "nest"?  what's your fave view while breastfeeding?  take a pic, leave a comment - let's chat!

garland roundup

image source

so we've had a stocking roundup and a wreath roundup so why not a garland one too? i heart a lovely garland/bunting. so pretty & so festive. these garlands are easily customizable for anytime of year. it doesn't just need to be the holidays to sport a pretty string of lovelies. take a cue from the tutorials below and use found objects in your home, incorporate some whimsy, some modern elements, some organic materials, or even just paper. get the kiddos involved or make a special project made with love by you alone. whatever you choose to do i'm sure it will bring a smile to your face when you walk in the room.

garlands are not just for trees anymore. string them up on a wall, in a corner, above a bed, a mantle or a door/window, anywhere that you want. they look fabulous in a child's bedroom or nursery and even your own bedroom. make them masculine or feminine, it's your choice. so let's get into the festive spirit shall we? let's garland it up ladies!

1. new years garland 2. colorful cardboard garland

1. pom-pom garland 2. string of lights garland

1. vintage recycled garland

1. doily garland 2. doily snowflake garland
3. felt snowflake garland 4. star garland

1. paper garland 2. retro ornament paper garland
3. pine cone garland 4. spring felt birds

1. doily garland diy 2. no sew flower garland

1. cupcake liner garland 2. paper garland

1. crochet triangle garland 2. straw & pompom garland

1. twisted felt garland 2. print & glue garland 3. everlasting garland

1. heart felt garland 2. ruffle garland 3. garlands a plenty 4. button garland
5. mitten advent calendar 6. christmas ornament bunting 7. bay leaf & pomegranate garland

1. little bird garland 2. crochet garland 3. fleece pom pom garland

readers faves:

-christmas tree bunting

which one is your favorite? did you make a garland or a bunting during the year? which one are you making this year? comment the link below and i'll add it into the post. let's get inspired together :)

wreath tutorial roundup

image source

i've been wanting to make a wreath for the holidays for a few years now, but haven't ever found the time to get it at the top of my crafting list during xmas. this year, it's right up there. so i set out on a wild escapade across the blogoshpere in search of the perfect wreath to make for our humble abode. i quickly realized it was going to be way harder to choose than i thought and that i couldn't possible keep all of these to myself. so here's a fun roundup of some of my fave wreath tutorials for the holidays!

how about bright & colorful...

wonderful wreath

feather wreath

or calm & serene...

1. seashell wreath 2. yarn ball holiday wreath

maybe neutral & natural...

paper doily wreath

1. paper wreath 2. clothesline wreath 3. ruffly felt wreath 4. tinsel wreath

acorn wreath

1. pinecone wreath 2. driftwood wreath

or fun & funky?

1. popcorn wreath 2. ribbon wreath 3. vintage sheet wrapped wreath

1. modern fall wreath 2. pom pom wreath

extra links to more wreath roundups:

- whipup.net 30 best wreaths
- decor8 wreath roundup

reader faves:

- fall pom-pom wreath
- banner wreath
- striped felt wreath
- evergreen wreath
- ribbon wreath
- scrappy wreath
- gumdrop wreath

are you making a wreath this year? which one do you like best? feel free to leave a link in the comments to your fave wreath tutorial, we all love to see & i'll add the readers faves to the post for you all! happy making!