Dress Shirt Sleep Sack Tutorial with Guest - Lindsay from "The Cottage Home"

i'm so in love with this tutorial. i'm partial to all the wonderful dress shirt refashions that have come about over the last year or so as they were one of the main things that got me to even start sewing. so when lindsay told me what she had planned i've been dying to see it ever since. most of you know how much i luv lindsay and her fab etsy shop "The Cottage Mama" and blog "The Cottage Home" and to hear me gush about her some more and to find out how she does it all with 2 kids and a hubby check out our interview for "moms in the mommyhood" we did on her recently.

now let's hear from lindsay......

Wow, I'm thrilled to be back at luvinthemommyhood as part of the "Babyhood Bonanza". My name is Lindsay and I am here from The Cottage Home (blog) and The Cottage Mama (etsy shop).

I have two darling little ladies of my own - Savannah Rose (2 years) and Matilda Jane (11 months). Being a mother is the best thing to ever happen to me. It has grounded me, created a very clear direction for my life and has given me the drive to follow my dreams. If it weren't for my girls, I would not have started my blog, I would not have started my children's clothing business, and I would not be here sharing my Dress Shirt Sleep Sack Tutorial with all of you. My girls are the world to me and have definitely shown me the meaning of true love.

I don't know about you, but for the first year or so of my girls life they spend most of their time sleeping in a sleep sack. I never have enough sleep sacks - they always seem to be in short supply, but they are pretty expensive at $20 a pop. So that's where today's tutorial comes in........Dress Shirt Sleep Sack Tutorial.

I have seen so many tutorials for men's dress shirt refashioned into little girls dresses, which are SO adorable and I've been meaning to make one (or two) for my girls. But here's a new twist - make your little lady or little man a sleep sack out of their Daddy's shirt. Use a 100% cotton dress shirt for a light-weight, summer sleep sack and use a flannel, button-down for a cozier winter sleep sack.

The idea of my little baby Matilda all cozy in her crib, wrapped up in her Daddy's shirt, just warms my heart.........can you feel the love?

Supplies:
1 Large Men's Dress Shirt
Bias Tape
Scissors
Thread
Sewing Machine
Iron
Baby Sleep Sack (to use as a pattern)
Rick-Rack, ribbon or other trim (optional)
Fabric for applique (optional)
Fusible Interfacing - I like Wonder Under (if doing applique)

Directions:

Grab a men's button-down dress shirt - preferably from your little one's Daddy or Grand-Daddy. But if your hubby doesn't have an extra one, just pick one up at your local thrift store.

Lay your regular sleep sack on top of the dress shirt. Line the zipper of the sleep sack up with the buttons of the dress shirt. A large men's shirt is the perfect size for a 6-12 month sleep sack.

I am a big fan of using hardware-store washers as pattern weights. Place your weights onto the sleep sack to ensure no slipping during cutting.

Cut around the sleep sack leaving 1/2"-3/4" border. I always use a rotary cutter because I am usually very short on time - makes for much quicker work!

You will leave this border to allow for your seam allowance, which is 1/2" in this case.

Cut all the way around the entire sleep sack - through both layers of the dress shirt.

Here's what the sleep sack will look like after you have cut it out. I left the pocket, but feel free to remove it with a seam ripper.

Sew the top of each shoulder - right-sides together.

Stitch away.

Press your seams with an iron.

Now cut out the neck (only cut the top layer). Use your sleep sack as a guide. I just free-hand drew mine with a water-soluble fabric pen - approximately 3" wide by 3" deep.

Here is the sleep sack with the neck removed.

This part is TOTALLY optional. I wanted my Matilda's sleep sack to be a little more girly so I added some trim. Get creative with this and use whatever trim you have on hand.

Stitch your trim to the sleep sack.

Pin your bias tape around each arm hole. Open it and pin it to the RIGHT side of the garment.

Stitch the bias tape.

Now fold over your bias tape and stitch again on the RIGHT side of the garment.

Do the same thing around the neck opening, but make sure you fold over the edges as this will show and you do not want any raw edges against baby's skin.

This part is entirely optional as well. I cut out a flower from some fabric (Heather Bailey's Nicey Jane) and used fusible interfacing to adhere it to the sleep sack. Follow the manufacturers instructions for interfacing to do this step.

Then stitch around your flower. I used a straight stitch, but if you do not like the frayed look, I would suggest using a tight zig-zag.

Now to finish. Pin the sides and the bottom - right sides together. Stitch the three sides closed. Turn right-side out and press.

And there you have it - A Dress Shirt Sleep Sack

And here's my sweet baby girl wearing her new cozy sleep sack.

Checking it out, making sure Mama did it right.

Yes! I LOVE my new sleep sack!!

Time for a nap!

Cottage Mama's Note: Please, please check all of the buttons on your shirt and make sure they are sewn on very securely. I suggest reinforcing them, just to be extra cautious.

Thank you so much, Shannon, for having me! I'm so glad we have gotten to know each other - I feel like we were just meant to be friends. Hope you are having fun with your two sweet girly girls!

thank you linds! i'm so glad we have gotten to know each other as well and agree that we were meant to be friends! i can't wait for the day that we can meet in person and hang out and sew! thanks for all of your emails, wisdom and advice - you're the best!

i'm super excited for you all to see our next tutorial this week...it's one i've been meaning to make myself but could never do as fabulous a job as our next guest blogger is going to - so stay tuned!

are you guys having fun yet? are you enjoying the bonanza? i am! i only wish i could do some sewing...haha! what are you planning to make from our tutorials so far?

Fruit Salad Baby Hats with Guest - Maggie from "Smashed Peas & Carrots"

let's all give a big hello to the sweet maggie from the fun and fabulous blog "smashed peas and carrots"! she's one of my fave emailing/blogging buddies and i'm thrilled to have her over to be part of the "babyhood bonanza"! she's currently preggers with baby #3 and i send big hugs her way for finding the time/energy to whip up this great little tutorial for all of us ladies!

it's been a crazy week in our household so bear with me with the short intro folks, it's pretty simple to write though - go check out smashed peas and carrots...hee hee, it's one of my fave places to visit online. lots of goodies galore there from sewing tutorials, crafts, projects for the little ones and fabulous recipes as well! you won't be disappointed! thanks again mags - one of these days I AM going to show up for some of that delicious cake, a cup of coffee and some girl chat and a visit with your gorgeous family!

now let's hear from maggie............

Babies. What can I say about Babies? They are just so sweet and cuddle-y, and teeny tiny, and breath-taking. I am a momma of two right now and I remember both of their births and those early weeks like they were yesterday. So Sweet! Now I wonder to myself just how did my little ones get so big?

Babies. Yeah, they are on my mind a lot these days as I am expecting my number 3 at the end of July. Yup, craziness pure craziness, will be happening around my house in less than two months! So, in thinking of fun things to make for new little bundles of joy I thought about baby hats. A necessary piece of clothing to keep their little heads warm no matter what time of year. A fun gift to give and receive. Yup, I love 'em. And, what could be more fun than making some Fruit Salad Baby Hats for the new arrival?

Who wouldn't want to give or receive:

an "I'm Strawberry Special" Hat

or a "Blueberry Cutie Pie'' Hat

or maybe an "Orange I Sweet" Hat

or even an "Apple of My Eye" Hat

No little bundle of joy would be complete without one on their head!

Fruit Salad Anyone?

Ok, so let's make the Blueberry Cutie Pie Hat, shall we? You'll need:

one blue t-shirt (size X-large will make you a few!)

blue felt

coordinating thread

hand-sewing needle

sewing machine

rotary cutter and mat

First, make a template for your hat. A basic half-oval shape is perfect. I just free-handed mine. For a 0-3 month old you will need to make your template 7 1/2 inches wide at the bottom and about 5 3/4 inches tall. (Most 0-3 month old babies head circumference measure around 14-15 inches in diameter so if your little babe has a bigger noggin you may want to add some more inches to the width.)

Place your template at the bottom edge or the sleeve portion of your t-shirt, making sure to use the hem that is already in place. Cut out both front and back pieces of your hat using both front and back sides of the t-shirt.

Next, take your felt piece and cut one 4 x 4 inch piece and one 1 inch by 1.5 inch piece.


With the smaller felt piece, fold it in half lengthwise to make a rectangle and sew a straight stitch all the way around it. This will be the stem for your blueberry.

Next, fold the larger felt piece in half and cut out a few triangles so that you have a very oblong star-shape, like the picture above. It doesn't really have to be symmetrical since blueberry leaves are all types of crazy shapes.

Then, with your star-shape open, use your rotary cutter and cut a small slit about 1/2 inch in length in the center.

Now, take your two hat pieces and place right sides together with the stem piece centered at the very top portion. Sew the two pieces together using a zig-zag stitch to give the hat some extra stretch room.

Flip your hat right-side out and make sure it's not too puckered at the seam. You may need to snip your seam allowance at the curves a bit.

Finally, take your star-shaped felt piece and pull the stem through the slit. Hand-stitch the leaves to that hat taking care not to sew the front and the back of the hat together.

Then, go find a cutie-pie baby to wear your hat like little Gus here, so sweet at just one-month old, isn't he!

Whether gazing into momma's eyes, smiling at the birdies or sleeping the day away, a Fruit Salad Baby Hat will keep your little babe warm and stylin' all day long no matter the season!

So Vibrant and Sweet the way every Fruit Salad should be!

Every Fruit Salad needs a rainbow of colors!

Thanks so much Shannon for including me in your Babyhood Bonanza! It's such an honor to be here today!! Much love to you and your new little babe, she is such a doll!!

you're welcome mags - luv ya girl!

i've got some pics coming your guys way tomorrow so come back to check out baby harper and all the craziness in our house lately! in the meantime go sport our button...it's over there to your left on the sidebar - we'll luv ya for it!

Sock Animal Rattle Tutorial with Guest - Jill from "Homemade by Jill"

ohhhh, i'm so excited for today's guest blogger - jill from the fab blog "homemade by jill"!!! i luv, luv, luv her stuff and her tutorial for today's post is no exception. i literally squealed in delight when it popped up in my inbox!!! so adorable!!! i just wanted to reach through the screen and grab this insanely talented ladies cute sock animal rattle and steal it! i don't think i could make one as cute as hers...it's so precious.

i hope you all enjoy it and please, go over and say hello to jill....her blog is addictive and filled with projects, crafts, sewing and lots of wonderful eye candy...trust me...you'll luv it and you'll luv her!!!! jill's also in her third trimester and i just want to extend a huge thank you for taking the time to do this fun post even though she is achy and very pregnant - big hugs jill!!!!!

now let's hear from jill............

Congratulations to Shannon! I am so honored to be part of the celebration welcoming baby Harper into this world.

I always find myself making little projects for babies, but being less than six weeks away from greeting our own baby girl, I am in full-fledged baby mode at this point. I'm really glad to be participating in the Babyhood Bonanza because it forced me to take a break from cranking out all my old stand-by projects and come up with something new.

Therefore, I bring you a new twist on a classic craft, the sock animal rattle:

These sock bunnies have all the makings of your little one's favorite first toy ... they are soft and squishy, have chomp-able, pull-able ears, and best of all ... make a pleasant jingle when you shake them.

The great thing about sock animals is that they are fully customizable - you choose the sock with your ideal pattern and colors, and can create just about any animal imaginable. My tutorial will show you how to make happy bunny rattles, but it can just as easily become a monkey, cat, dog, bear, (insert animal of your choice here).

The sock animal head each has a single jingle bell inside the stuffing, which gives it a pleasantly muted jingle.

I couldn't decide if I liked the straight handle or looped handle better, so I'll show you how to make both versions. You'll also learn two ways to sew the head.

Pop over to Homemade by Jill to see the full Sock Animal Rattle Tutorial HERE!

we've got lot's more goodies to come and even some sneak peek photos of the chaos that's been happening in our house lately....ok, yep there's been chaos and time outs and baby spit up and lots of dirty diapers and not a lot of sleep but to make up for it there is a whole lotta love...and i can't wait to show off harper to you all :) so stay tuned......and don't forget to sport our button that you can find on our sidebar to the left!

all images copyright homemade by jill

Diaper Pouch Tutorial with Guest - Anna from "Noodlehead"

our next guest blogger is ann from the fabulous blog "noodlehead". i go to anna's blog to drool, get inspired, laugh and just plain enjoy myself. you should see the goodies she's got going on over there, especially lately during her "spice up your kitchen" series!!! wowsa! if i wasn't so gibbled from giving birth you know i would be sewing up a storm!!! noodlehead has tons of eye candy and fun tutorials for any level of sewer. so pop on over and say hi to anna for me.....she's a sweetheart and i send her big hugs for all her kind emails the last few weeks :)

now let's hear from anna..........

First of all, I just want to say a huge Welcome to the World to Harper! Those sisters are bound to have a great time, my heart melts just looking at them together - so sweet. And thanks to Shannon for having her Babyhood Bonanza, such cool baby projects and don't we all love making things for babies?!

So the tutorial I'm sharing today involves the one thing probably on the top of most parents lists every time they good shopping. Yep, you guessed it, DIAPERS! I think I read somewhere that a child goes through several thousand (yes, thousand) diapers from birth to potty training. Whew.


Well, you might as well do it with a little style and a smidge of organization. So make yourself and your friends a spiffy new diaper pouch.


I love these handy diaper pouches. They're great for when you switch purses or diaper bags often, or to stash in the car. Of course you know you'll be putting them to use, so why not?


Head on over to Noodlehead for a fun Diaper Pouch Tutorial HERE!

Thanks again to Shannon and I wish you and your family the best! You know I love baby girls.

a big thank you to you too anna! i luv this tute and will surely be making a few of these adorable goodies!!!! who can resist the Amy Butler fabric you used as well? if you're gonna carry diapers they might as well be carried in style right??? so fab, i even have a bit of that print just waiting to be sewed with!!!

and don't you all forget we've got more goodies to come your way! the bonanza is going till the end of june so keep on dropping by! lots more fabulous bloggers & tutorials to come! you can find our button on the sidebar on the left if you would like to show your luv!

all images copyright noodlhead

Baby Mobile Tutorial with Guest - Katie from "Blue Eyed Freckle"

our next fabulously talented guest blogger is katie from the "blue eyed freckle". now if you are a reader of my blog you all know i love, love, love katie's headbands. in fact, i am addicted to them. but you know what else is great about katie? her blog. yep, this girl is super talented and a sweetheart to boot. she not only has a kick ass accessories shop, but she also sews, creates artwork, has addicting tutorials and still finds time to be a mom. so go check katie out at her blog and her etsy shop and show some love!

now let's hear from katie......

When I was preparing for the birth of my daughter Olivia (who is now 9 months), I made every single thing I could think of for her bedroom and layette. In all my reading I learned that babies enjoyed high contrasts, and that initially they could only see in black and white. Being an artist (and at the time a high school art teacher) I wanted to fill the room with original art and objects that were in black and white for her enjoyment and stimulation.

Soooo... in addition to the artwork on the wall, I decided to create a black and white mobile to hang over the crib. And I am sharing the tutorial with you all today because let me tell you, she LOVES it. she loved looking at it when she was small, and I still find her gazing at it now. The accordion circles spin around too, which she likes. And she gets giddy when we let her touch it as we pull her out of the crib. So here you go!

BLUE-EYED FRECKLE BABY MOBILE TUTORIAL

Materials:

branches
paper (mine were 5 1/2" by 8 1/2")
sharpies (different widths)
hot glue
thread
branches
spray paint (or reg. house paint)
twine
screw hooks (to hang it up)

1. draw simple shapes on your 5 1/2" by 8 1/2" paper. I did 9 different designs.

2. Photo copy each design as many times as you like. Keep in mind that to create 1 circle, it takes 4 pieces of paper (when you photocopy them, just cut off the excess white around the design).

3. After cutting out all of your pieces, hot glue (or elmers, spray adhesive, etc) two pieces together. They can be the same design or different.

4. create and accordion, pressing down each fold.

5.Bend the accordion in half and hot glue in the center.

6. Hot glue down the bottom part too, just to make it more secure.

7. Hot glue 2 sections together down the long end.

8. cut 1- 2 ft lengths of string (so that you can cut it to the right size later), and insert them into a crevice between two folds and apply hot glue.

(Leave the long end of the string hanging)

9.Spray paint your branches, turning them to get all sides. You can also just paint them with house paint like I did with my original mobile.

( Here is a photo of all my designs and the branches after I have spray painted them.)

10. After the branches are dry, take a long length of twin and wrap it around the bundle one time and tie a knot. Then continue to wrap it around, under and over all the branches in order to make it a tight hold. You wouldn't want a branch to come loose, esp. if you are hanging it over a crib!!. Also, break off any little branch pieces that you think could be dangerous if for some horrible reason this thing fell (I have never had a problem).

11.Attach 2 pieces of twine on two areas of the branch bundle. Then, put the screw hooks into your ceiling, right where you want the mobile to hang. Our hooks were about 10 in. apart.

12. Create a secure loop at the end of each piece of twine and put them on the hooks.

13. Standing on a ladder, ( I had my husband do this part while I stood back and told him how high or low to go) attach each piece of string, by looping it around a branch and tying it off. Cut the tails.

I tried to vary the height of each accordion and the spacing of them as well.

This is a unisex mobile (don't be confused by the coral walls behind it...). and really, even if you don't have a baby, this could be used anywhere in the home!

NOTE: The accordions on my mobile are not double-sided unfortunately. Your mobile will look better, because you are gluing two sheets together. I didn't think about doing that until after I had already hung mine!

thanks so much katie! this looks so fun and there are so many fun ways to personalize it as well. i can't wait to try it out! thanks for being part of the bonanza!


and don't you all forget we've got more goodies to come your way! the bonanza is going till the end of june so keep on dropping by! lots more fabulous bloggers & tutorials to come! you can find our button on the sidebar on the left if you would like to show your luv!

all images copyright blue eyed freckle

Toy Caterpillars Tutorial with Guest - Disney from "Ruffles & Stuff"

i apologize in advance that for the next few weeks that my introductions to these fabulous guest bloggers is not up to par....i'm still not up to par myself so just typing this is a feat in itself, but enough whining from me....please welcome disney from the fantastic, lovely, gorgeous, tutorial filled, addicting blog "ruffles and stuff". i luv her and her blog - thank you so much for inspiring me daily disney and for being part of the babyhood bonanza! i just adore this cute, fun tute and hope you all enjoy it as well.

now let's hear from disney......

BABIES.

There is nothing sweeter, nothing more special, nothing noisier, stinkier, or fussier....and nothing more precious, than a brand new baby.

I remember having my daughter like it was yesterday (which might be why I still just have one), and even with all the crazy nights, the frustrations, and sleep-deprivation, I wouldn't trade those memories for anything. Nothing shows us our true strength more than getting through those weak times, right?! So here's to all the new moms! And especially to you, Shannon. I wish we could all change a diaper for you, and lighten your load a little! :o)

And speaking of lightening the load...nothing says "rest for mommy" like a nice, entertaining, attention-holding new toy! So I whipped up a little pattern for us all!

Something soft, something crinkly, with fun little ribbons to grab at and teeth on! Perfect!

Caterpillars are cute and curious little creatures, that can be found in all sorts of places in nature!

They love to hide under logs, and climb trees....

And rest in the cool grass on a warm sunny day. They are always munching on things.....

And dodging predators, like larger insects, and birds.

But deep down, every caterpillar just wants a nice comfortable place to call home...

Where they will find lots of love....

And spend their days dreaming of what will be:

And you can bring one home of your very own, to love and cherish!

1. Just print this pattern:

(Click to enlarge, and be sure that your print layout is set to "landscape".)

2. And use it to cut two fleece caterpillars, and four layers of batting.

3. Cut six-4" lengths of ribbon, and fold them in half, pinning two to the back of each of the last three bumps of the caterpillar.

4. Then cut a small circle of felt (you can use your pattern for that, too!), stitching it on by hand or machine.

5. Lay the back piece of your caterpillar down, with the layers batting on top, and a crinkly wrapper between the batting layers. The best wrappers to use for this are plastic microwave popcorn wrappers, and Sunchips bags, but in a pinch you can use pop tarts, or whatever you have that sounds good!

6. Lay the front caterpillar piece on top, and pin well.

7. Use a small zigzag stitch to sew all the way around, fairly close to the edge. If your batting tries to sneak out, tuck it back inside as you go.

All done!

Now you have a sweet new toy, with fun sounds and ribbon to play with,

drool on, and love dearly! :o)

A great big thank you to Shannon, for letting me come visit today! I was so flattered to be invited to take part in Babyhood Bonanza! Happy mothering!

Take care, everyone!!

-Disney

thanks disney!!!!!!!!!! it means a lot to me to have you over! you can find more from disney on her gorgeous blog ruffles and stuff. i hope you all stay tuned for more babyhood bonanza goodness to come. don't forget to sport our button and show your luv! it's on the sidebar to your left.

all images are coyright ruffles and stuff

Embellishing Shirts & Onesies with Guest - Vanessa from "V & Co."

ohhhhhh, this week is so fun! first dana and now vanessa! two ladies who need no introduction from lil ol me, but i can't just can't seem to help myself from gushing about how much i love them both.


the lovely, sweet, hilariously funny and uber-talented vanessa from "v and co." is here today to share a fun tutorial on how we can all spruce up those boring onesies we have kicking around the house! from funny tales of her life with 4 kids (yes, 4 kids!!!!) & hubby, her insane quilting skills, patterns, sewing & craft tutorials this ladies got it all! you can drool over her lovely patterns for sale in her shop here and read about her adventures and tutorials on her gorgeous blog here!

her pretty aesthetic is so addicting and it just makes me want to run and beg the hubs to take my daughter so i can just sit and sew some of her fabulous creations!!!! vanessa - you're the best and big hugs to you for being part of the babyhood bonanza, and for all those late night vents we've had....motherhood is so much more fun having people to laugh about it with like you - luv ya!


now let's hear from vanessa........

hello luv in the mommyhood-ers! i'm Vanessa from V and Co.

i was very excited that shannon asked me to be part of her line up of guest bloggers while she takes a little bit of time to get ready to push out that little baby in her tummy. babies are amazing aren't they? i have 4 and it seems like it was forever ago that i was in the hospital pushing and cursing at the man who was delivering my baby and the other man that put me in that predicament. it seems like a lot of my friends are having babies now. and well i find myself getting giddy every time i find out what they are having so i can make them something. onesies are one of my favorite things to give at the moment.


onesies are a must when you have a brand new baby. i remember many times when my babies would be stripped down to just their onesie for some reason or another. whether it was too hot, or if they got something on their clothes, or... well lets be honest sometimes a onesie was all we had time to get into.

i love the plain white onesies the best because it gives me an open canvas on what i would like to do to embellish it. today i'm going to give you a few suggestions on how to dress up a little white onesie. all these suggestions would work great on a toddler shirt as well!

using my ombre style onesie tutorial, make this lovely little lady! add little t-shirt flowers or ruffles to dress it up even more!

using my flower (ring) tutorial make a few rosettes and sew them on the onesie by hand.

using my heat press vinyl tutorial make these two awesome shirts. buy the vinyls here.

with satin ribbon you can use my flower corsage tutorial, or make this cute bow:


first make sure you use fray check on the ends of your ribbon. this stuff is wonderful. and it will keep your ribbon from fraying.


your first option with the satin ribbon and flower would be to attach a pin onto the back of them with hot glue. if you don't feel comfortable putting a pin on a onesie your baby will be in you can follow these following instructions:


first make a knot in the middle of your satin ribbon. then take corresponding thread and start from the wrong side of your onesie. go through the knotted part of your ribbon.


go back through your ribbon knot. do this a few times to secure the ribbon. tie a knot and cut off the extra string. then finish tying your ribbon.

and here it is on katie's shirt now. (we're just waiting for the freezing temps to go away!) these are just a few ideas i've come up with. really the possibilities are endless!!!

well, thanks shannon for letting me come over here for the day! i'm sending "baby get out of my body!" vibes over to ya and i hope you get to push out that little one soon enough!!!! best of luck and can't wait to see baby pics!!!!

ok, folks...get sewing, get creating! have some fun! join in on the party!!! what have you been loving from the babyhood bonanza?


more fun to come next week so stay tuned!!! don't forget to grab our babyhood bonanza button on the sidebar and join the party!

p.s. if you're looking to find out more about vanessa, check out our interview with her as part of our "moms in the mommyhood" series from last year!

all images are copyright vanessa christenson

Crib & Toddler Bed Sheet Tutorial with Guest - Dana from "Made"

it has been killing me to keep our next guest blogger under wraps....it's so exciting to welcome one of my all time fave lady bloggers - the gorgeous and talented dana willard from "MADE"!!!

she was one of the first bloggers i started chatting with and i like to call her my friend as well. we share some fun late night chats and i like to drool with jealousy over her lovely blog, gorgeous photography, fabulous sewing skills & pattern design and the fact that she gets all this stuff done with two kids running around!!!! i'm constantly amazed by her and truly mean it when i say she is well on her way to becoming the next martha stewart or amy butler. this girl is gonna make it far, mark my words!

i know i don't need to tell you who she is, or what her blog "MADE" is about.....but let's just take a second to ogle some of her lovely images and projects from fashion, home decor, crafts, recipes....never mind the goodies in her shop "joon bug", the list goes on:

doesn't it just make you feel so cheerful and inspired? i just love it & i love her! so let's all welcome dana over here for part of the babyhood bonanza!!!

now let's hear from dana:

Hello friends!

It's Dana from MADE and I'm thrilled to be joining you for Babyhood Bonanza with Shannon! I keep hoping that I'll hop over to luvinthemommyhood and Shannon's not there because her post says "off to the hospital!". Soon, very soon. I'll be patient. After all, she's the one that has to push the little babe out. Good luck Shannon! We can't wait to meet her!

Okay. So, I'm really not a girly girl when it comes to chick flick movies, music, getting gushy, sharing feelings, etc. I rarely cry in movies. I've seen only 10% of the Sandra Bullock films that exist. I (yikes) think John Mayer can be a bit cheesy? (did I really just say that? Sorry). But that all changed when I got pregnant with Lucy. No, I didn't start buying John Mayer albums (though I do think Heartbreak Warfare has some clever lyrics) but I found myself watching shows about child birth, adoption, etc and just getting teary-eyed over it. I had this immediate connection to motherhood and feeling love for children. They seemed so precious. Such innocent little people, eager to learn the ropes of life. I would see a picture of a child and found myself saying "awe" much more than I had before. I felt a new love for children in general, even if they weren't mine. And my heart went out to those children who would go through hard challenges in life or never have a place to call home.

The days that Lucy and Owen were born were two of the most amazing moments of my life. It is definitely a miracle every time a life comes into this world. A creation and feat that can never be matched with another earthly experience.


Though there are days that they challenge me beyond patience (and I cry for different reasons), they bring an even greater amount of joy to my life. They each come with their own personalities and funny ways of doing things. I see bits of me in them; I see bits of Casey. They show me the world through their 36-inch tall perspective. And I learn more about myself, as I learn to be their mom.

As far as sewing goes, my kids are most of my inspiration. And sewing for a baby is one of the easiest things. Make a set of burp cloths, a simple receiving blanket, embellish a onesie. It took me a while to realize, you don't have to settle for what you see in the store. You can make (almost) anything! And this was one of those duh moments when I discovered (after both kids had graduated from a crib) that you can make your own crib sheets! At least Owen's still in a Toddler bed, so he gets to reap the rewards.
The concept is simple, I just cut up an old crib sheet and went from there. Here you go!.......


Crib sheets don't need to be plain and white.


And if they're for a boy, they probably shouldn't have teddy bears on them. I'm just sayin....


Make your baby crib or toddler bed more exciting by creating your own sheets! This is a great project for any level of sewer, especially a beginner.


Okay, let's get started!

You'll need:
* 2 yards of fabric
* 80 inches (204 cm) of skinny 1/4 inch elastic


* Cut out a rectangle that's: 45 x 67 inches (114.5 x 171 cm)
* Fold that into fourths (fold it in half and in half) and cut an 8 x 8 in (20.5 x 20.5 cm) square out of the corners, so that your fabric looks like this:


Another way to do this (if you're making multiple sheets), is to cut out a pattern piece that's 1/4 the size of your sheet. It looks like this (or the state of Utah):


Then before cutting anything out, you can fold your fabric into fourths, lay that on top, and easily cut it out.

Okay, with your fabric cut, let's start sewing.

* Take the two sides of one corner and bring right sides together. Pin them and sew down the side. This is creating a "pocket" of sorts, to go around the corners of the mattress. Do this to all four corners of the sheet:


* Serge the seams, zigzag or leave the seams raw.

* Serge around the entire outside of the sheet. This makes is easy to create a casing for the elastic. If you don't have a serger, just iron your fabric over 1/4 inch all the way around and then continue to the next step....

* Iron under the entire edge of the sheet. You are creating a casing, to string very skinny elastic through.


* Sew down the casing. You don't need to pin around the entire sheet before you sew (that takes too long) but DO pin a start and stop point so that you leave an opening to get the elastic In and Out. Start sewing from the START point, all the way around the STOP point:


* Insert the elastic. Taking your 1/4 inch wide elastic, attach a safety pin to one end, and pin the other end to the sheet. Start stringing it through the casing, all the way around till it comes out the other side:


* Overlap the ends and sew them together a few times with a zigzag stitch:


* Then sew your casing closed.


And you're done!


Try it on!


And then make them in all sorts of colors:


Because even boys like options, right?


Sleep tight, little babe.

dana - thank you so much for being part of the celebration and i cannot wait to email you saying "she's here"!!!!! i will definitely be making some fun new sheets for the kids, i'll just add it to the 20 other fantastic projects of yours i need to get sewing! big hugs!!!

stay tuned for our next guest blogger later this week....there's more fun to come!!!! don't forget to grab our button off the sidebar to the left :)

p.s. if you're looking to find out more about dana, check out our interview with her as part of our "moms in the mommyhood" series from last year!

all images are copyright dana willard

baby oatmeal bath recipe with guest: destri of the mother huddle

let's all welcome our 2nd guest blogger for this week - destri from "the mother huddle"!!!

have you all heard of "the mother huddle" yet? i'm sure you have, but just in case you haven't, get ready to add a new fave blog to your reader!!!! this is one of my fave places to visit. i love it. whether it's sewing, cooking, crafts for kids, the list goes on, the mother huddle is the place to get it!


one of my fave bloggers on the mother huddle is the lovely destri. she rocks. she sews amazingly lovely goodies, crafts pretty projects, writes fun posts filled with lots of mommy goodness...i mean how can you go wrong with this kind of segment bar?


these are just a few of the creative segments destri writes that you can find on the mother huddle. needless to say i was excited when she agreed to come guest blog even though she's on the road with 2 little ones, has lots of projects on the go and 2 little ones to take care of.....you rock destri - luv ya girl!!!!!!!!! thanks for all the comments and emails over the last few months, it's been fun getting to know you!!!!

now let's hear from destri...........

First can I say what an honor it is to be a part of this. I know you guys haven't seen who Shannon has lined up for you in the next six weeks, but I can promise the line-up won't disappoint. It's fabulous. Now can I say how thrilled I am to have a voice on Shannon's little corner of the web? I have loved her blog for ages, so really I am tickled to be here, and thank you for having me while she is away!

She asked us to share a little about our babies and being a mom to a new baby. Seems easy enough, but sheesh, where to start? I have to warn you, it is 2 am while I am writing this. If you have ever written a post past midnight, you understand that they take on a whole new life. I usually have the benefit of editing the next day but I am sending this off right when I am finished. I hope I don't regret that picture sans make-up...the baby is darling though, right?


The first thing that comes to mind for me is the hospital. Call me crazy, but I love that experience. Not so much the sterile atmosphere with beeping machines and strange people walking by - but the experience of bringing a new baby into your life. With my first I remember loving it for all the unknown. Waking up and looking over to this sweet little face that somehow was created inside of me, and was now a living, breathing wonder in my life, and he was mine. I had no idea what to expect, but knew for certain I would do what ever it took to make him happy, all in the matter of a day.

With my second, I loved it for all that was familiar. The scent that only a new baby brings, the familiar little gurgles and squeaks, the cute faces they make. It makes my ovaries ache just thinking about it. I loved that it was just she and I. I had these few days of just rocking her, just singing to her, just getting to know her. By the second baby you realize this little wonder really isn't yours at all. Nope, they will grow up one day and move away, so you learn to soak it up while you can.

I still find when I drive past the hospital I long for those little moments, and so I am a little envious of Shannon. She will love this experience, nothing can prepare you for the first baby, the second, well...she will see. It's just as magical.

Now you are looking for a tutorial right? Well first can I share the best thing ever when it comes to babies skin? I feel like this is a baby shower of sorts, and they are always filled with advice for the new mom. I know this isn't Shannon's first baby but I didn't find this until two weeks ago, so am hoping this will be useful for her too.

My babies always had very dry skin, with little patches of eczema. I always had heard of oatmeal baths but never gave it a try till recently, and they make a huge difference. And it is so easy to prepare.



the recipe:

Put two cups of rolled oats in a food processor, blender or even a coffee grinder and grind them into a fine powder. Add the oatmeal powder to a running bath of warm (not hot) water and stir well. You may find that the oats clump a little on the bottom of the tub, just run your fingers along the bottom to help it dissolve. Soak your baby in the oatmeal bath for 15 minutes, rinse with clean water and dab the skin dry with a soft towel. This will make the tub slippery so be careful! You can do this twice a day if needed, but I have found once a week to be great for my little girl. I have even experimented with adding half a cup of lavender buds to the blender, and baking soda to the water which helps diaper rashes, both have worked great. So there's my two cents.

Now if your looking for a sewing project I have an easy one for you. Just whip out some of your old shirts and hop on over! If your not into sewing but have a baby and would love a new trick check this one out...all you need is a pair of scissors!

thank you so much for coming by destri! i can't wait to give this a try! my little girl always has dry skin and this is just too easy not to give it a whirl!!!!!!!

have you all tried oatmeal baths before? happy bathing ladies and babes!

p.s. don't forget to sport our button to show your luv! you can grab it on our sidebar to the left. the bonanza is only getting started!!!!!!


images courtesy of "the mother huddle" and "luvinthemommyhood"

Covered Baby Rings Tutorial with Guest: Jessica from Happy Together

yippee, it's the first day of luvinthemommyhood's "babyhood bonanza"!!!! let's start the fun!!! i sat down here to begin to write a little intro for our guest blogger today and went sheesh, this is gonna be hard for 7 weeks...all the ladies who will be blogging here are fabulous and i can't even begin to put in words their talents and creativity. i guess i have to give it a shot though so here goes....


jessica fediw, from the wonderful blog "happy together", is our first blogger to kick off the bonanza. her blog and etsy shop are a cheerful and happy place to be and i like to think of her as one of my favorite neighbours in this blogging world. her tutorials, jewelry/accessories and craft projects are fun, inspiring and easy to follow, plus it doesn't hurt that her and her daughter are both gorgeous! i was super excited to have jessica as one of our "moms in the mommyhood" last year after i had become addicted to her blog and realized that we both spend a lot of time missing our hubbies.

i hope if you haven't already heard of jessica that you will pop on over to check out her blog, her etsy shop and say hi for me! trust me....you won't regret it! you can join me in my addiction to her style and eye catching tutorials!

now let's hear from jess..........

Hey everyone :) It's Jess from Happy Together.


I'm so happy to be a guest here for Shannon while she's on maternity leave. She was one of the first people who ever wrote about me on their blog and I instantly felt a connection with her due to a lot of life similarities. She's such a sweetheart!

My tutorial, along with all the many other fabulous bloggers who are going to follow, was to have some connection to babies or new moms. Mine is for the babies! Maybe even more appropriate for those of you who have already had a child and have some of these already laying around or in a storage box....


Not that they aren't great in and of themselves, but it's nice to have a change. So, why not recover them to look like this?


I think if we are blessed with another child that I will make a cute set just to go on the stroller/car seat to hang onto toys, sippy cups, etc. Then another to play with ;) Let's get started!

With the crochet covers and the fabric covers, I explain how I did mine, but you might need to adjust for different size rings and all. For both, you are creating a tube to stick the ring into. To make the crochet ring covers you will need:

-Size G hook
-Medium Worsted Weight Yarn
-Yarn Needle

1. Ch 3, sl st in first ch to create ring
2. 3 sc in ring (3)
3. 2 sc in each sc in ring (6)
4. sc around until it is desired length
5. Do a few dec at end to pull it together, leave a tail once satisfied
6. Use needle to weave in tail and help gather the end if needed.

*Feel free to change the colors at any time you like. Simply use a sl st to do this. Have fun and be creative!

Again, make changed necessary for the size rings you are using. To make fabric covers you will need:

-Fabric (my pieces were 7x4.5 inches, but you can make them longer if you want it to look more scrunched)

-Needle

-Thread

-Scissors

-Iron

-Sewing Maching

1. Take rectangular piece of fabric, fold in half wrong sides facing, and iron.

2. Open up and fold ends in on each side, wrong sides facing, and iron.

3. Take one long edge and fold it towards center crease made in number 1, wrong sides facing. Repeat for other side.

4. Fold the whole thing in half again (at original crease made in number 1) and there will be no raw edges showing.

5. Sew down the long side where it is open and down on short end.

6. Slip the casing onto the ring and hand sew the opening shut.

Have fun and feel free to upload any creations you make using this tutorial in this flickr group. Thanks Shannon for letting me be a guest! I can't wait to see pics of your new precious one!

you're welcome jessica! what a great tutorial! i can't wait to makeover some of the rings i have laying around from when mackenzie was a baby! thanks as well for kicking off the bonanza!!!

stay tuned for more fun this week.....on wednesday we'll be having another guest blogger over to say hello so make sure you come by and join the party! don't forget to spread some bonanza luv - sport our buttons on your blog or posts and help spread the word, you can find it to your left on the sidebar!!!

special announcement - babyhood bonanza!!!!

ok, i'm so excited to share this all with you guys finally!!!! i've been working away on the sidelines trying to madly figure out how to keep luvinthemommyhood fun and exciting while i am off enjoying a bit of a "baby leave". so after lots of thought, humming and hawing, i finally decided to fill the mommyhood with some wonderfully talented & lovely crafty ladies - 2 per week to be exact starting may 3rd and running until june 18th and it's called......insert drum roll please....


who.....? i know, you wanna know who's coming by...but i'm not gonna tell ya! you'll have to tune in to see. but let me just say this, i wrote to a big list of my fave bloggers and asked them ever so nicely to come share tutorials/crafty goodness over here with you guys until i get back and guess what? they all said yes!!!! well show me a happy dance! i was over the moon and still am. i seriously did not think everyone would be able to swing it but lady luck was looking my way! i'm still pinching myself!!!!!!

image via

what...? it's going to be lots of fun and the crafty inspiration will be a flowing...so get your fave folders ready, you're gonna need them! babyhood bonanza is going to be geared solely towards babies and moms with a new baby. sewing, crochet, crafts....you name it, we've got it! i'll be popping in here and there to say hello, announce the new babies arrival and whine about my lack of sleep, but in between my new mommy chaos will be lots of goodies! 7 weeks worth!!!!!

image via

sound like a great party? wanna come? show your luv for luvinthemommyhood and all the special ladies popping by in the next few weeks by grabbing a button! you can find the code on the sidebar to your left. sport it on your blog, add it to your posts...it doesn't matter, we've got unlimited seating at this party and the more women the merrier!


so get marking your calendars, set up your google reminders, cause starting may 3rd the party is starting!!!!! i hope to see you all there! a big thank you in advance to all the fabulous ladies who agreed to help me out and to all you wonderful, loyal and caring readers who have stuck by me this last year - this is for you guys! i hope you have fun, but not too much fun that you don't miss me...haha!

are you excited for the babyhood bonanza? are you a new mom or due very soon?

p.s. you'll be able to find all the posts for the babyhood bonanza in our sidebar under the box "map of the mommyhood" under the label "mommyhood baby bonanza". click on that and away ya go!