Book Review & Giveaway - The Big Book of Knitted Monsters

i love me some cute monsters. especially knitted ones by rebecca danger. i heart rebecca.

*this giveaway is now closed. thank you for all of your entries.*


i was thrilled when i found out she had released a book called "The Big Book of Mischievous Monsters", filled with the imaginative little creatures she brings to life! i thought a giveaway and review was in order :) now you can have a whole book filled, 20 monster patterns to be exact, to whip up for you, your friends and their friends!
i've been hooked on her work, patterns and sense of style since i first spotted those adorable, melt your heart - bunny nuggets!


i'm having a hard time deciding on which one to start with! mackenzie and i cannot make up our minds! i'm drawn to so many of them. i think my favorite part of the book are the names. hilarious. so funny. each of these little monsters have fun names that have to do with a theme. like.....


...baldwin the bathroom monster, lurleen the laundry monster, dot the dress up box monster, hugo the couch potato monster, tony the toy box monster, claude the closet monster and the list goes on...ahhhhdorable! so funny. i swear these monsters really do exist in my everyday life..haha.

the book also has some giggle moments. you get a glimpse of rebecca's wit and humor throughout the book in her writing and her knitting & finishing guidelines. i brought my copy out to knit night and we had a good chuckle over it. i personally loved her section on the magic loop method as i've yet to try it but am dying to. she's got tons of info on how to whip up these monsters and all her tips and tricks for finishing, eyes and other handy snippets of info.


if you've got a soft spot for knitted monsters "The Big Book of Knitted Monsters"is the book for you. there's a pattern in here for anyone and all skill levels. and guess what, because rebecca is so awesome we've even got a giveaway for you guys today too! wanna hear about it? here ya go...







- one lucky winner will win a copy of "The Big Book of Knitted Monsters" by Rebecca Danger!!!! woot! woot!







- simply pop on over to rebecca's shop "danger crafts" and then come back and tell me why you love to make knitted toys & monsters.
- follow with google friend connect and/or subscribe to luvinthemommyhood and leave me another comment telling me you did that too :)







- all comments must include a valid email address or you will be disqualified.
- giveaway is open until may 24th, 2011 at midnight pacific standard time.


that's it folks :) good luck and happy monster making!!! a huge thank you to rebecca for being so awesome and CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! on your new baby boy - presley! he's so adorable!! enjoy this time hun and welcome to the "mommyhood" :P sorry...couldn't help myself..haha.

you can find all things rebecca here...

*blog *etsy shop knitting or sewing *ravelry *book

p.s. make sure you check out her shop filled with sewn monsters too! so cute!
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New tutorial - The MODify Dress!!!


ohhhh...i'm so excited to share a new tutorial with you guys today! when kathleen of the super fabulous blog "grosgrain" asked me to be part of free pattern month i literally squealed! i thought i was hallucinating when i saw her email pop up asking me to join in on! woot! woot! i'm so excited to be on one of my fave blogs!!!! it was perfect timing because i had been preparing to do something i haven't done before....make a dress for myself! that's right folks! something for ourselves. not for the kidlets. not sure about you guys but i'm always sewing for my kids or for gifts and i always seem to get put to the wayside. it's scary unknown territory for me to make a dress but i knew i had to do it. kathleen, whom I like to affectionately call "the queen of dresses" inspired me to do it. so pop on over to grosgrain and check it out! i can't wait for you all to make one too!

i've been so frustrated dress shopping lately and haven't been able to find anything that fit me right that covered the dreaded post baby bump (hate!). darn c-section :P so instead of whining and crying to my hubs and anyone else who would listen I decided to just make one. thus the modify dress was born!! i've been feeling so inspired by old movies (mostly from the 60's) lately and wanted a fun, short, mod spring dress that's simple to make and simple to "modify". this dress will give you a great base to personalize, add some pizazz too or keep modern and simple. it's flattering and can be worn a ton of different ways. lengthen it for fun or shorten it to make a tunic. sleeves..no sleeves. v-neck or round neck - it's up to you. add length and width to the front panel and you've got a great maternity dressa! and the best part is that there are no pieces to print out, this dress is all customizable to your own body size. so no gaping at the arms, tight boobage, or pulling on the hips. you use your measurements to create the dress that's right for you.

i'll be posting the tutorial here in the mommyhood later with a downloadable pdf that you all can print out but in the meantime head on over to check out the full tutorial here  and while you are there make sure to check out the other gorgeous patterns that have been shared this month. i mean really, look at this stuff!


also make sure to stay tuned on grosgrain for the rest of the fabulous lineup! i can't wait!!!

Free Pattern Month Guest Lineup
April 25 - The Sew Convert
 April 26 - A Lemon Squeezy Home
 April 27 - One Pearl Button
 April 28 - Elsie Marley
 April 29 - Happy Together
 May 2 - The Sew Weekly
 May 3 - Stories of A to Z
 May 4 - Gertie's New Blog for Better Sewing
 May 5 - Sewing in No Man's Land
 May 6 - Adventures in Dressmaking
 May 9 - Cakies
 May 10 - Prudent Baby
 May 11 - Casey's Elegant Musings
 May 12 - Lil Blue Boo
 May 13 - Say Yes to Hoboken
 May 16 - Made
 May 17 - Luv in the Mommyhood
 May 18 - Viva Veritas
 May 19 - Tea Rose Home
 May 20 - Noodlehead
 May 23 - Very Purple Person
 May 24 - Made by Rae
 May 25 - No Big Dill
 May 26 - Colette Patterns
 May 27 - Whip up

what do you guys think? you likie? are you gonna make one? let's chat sewing!
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It's taken almost 6 months but it's finally done....


you know when you start one of those projects that you think is going to be quick and speedy and it ends up taking foooorrreeeevvver? well, the hat i made for harper was one of those. the one that keeps nagging you in the back of your mind to just "get'er done". whenever i would pick up another project this one would call out to me "what about me....you're not done me yet..." and it drove me friggin nuts.


it almost died a few times too. my fault completely though. i was dumb enough to bring this to knit night, not once, but twice. yep. dumb. i saved it though with thanks to a friend (rebecca) and ended up getting it done. but not without further errors...aiyaya.


i loved the way this pattern went. it was somewhat fun to knit (when i was actually knitting it) and it was a pretty neat design. i've got a soft spot for all those adorable gnome hats out there right now. when you're done the hat you have to seam up the back and i think i did such a good job doing my kitchener stitch (thanks to the videos on knittinghelp.com) that i accidentally seamed my neckband onto the wrong edge!!!!! oopsie! what a pain in the butt that was! i had to take it all out again and redo it. i swear at this point i figured the hat just really was getting it's revenge back at me for ignoring it for so many months.


the pattern i used was "the stella pixie hat"(on ravelry for free) by kristen rengren from the book "vintage baby knits" and it calls for a neckband to be made and attached to the hat. i couldn't resist adding it due to this adorable red bow vintage button i picked up at a retro fair last fall. i toyed with the idea briefly of instead using the i-cord modification that sew liberated did on hers but i then went back to the neckband.


i have no idea what the yarn is. it was from deep, down in the dark place of my stash. you know the corner of the stash that you hardly look in and forget about completely? if i remember correctly, which i may not due to me being almost 34..haha, i bought this yarn when i was about 18 to make a baby sweater out of. needless to say the sweater never got completed but it's happy to have found a new home on my wee ones head. doesn't she look cute? i love to put blue on girls. so pretty!


what have you all been whipping up lately? do you have a project that is staring you down from the corner of the room that you've been ignoring and just can't seem to get done? let's chat!

p.s. you can find me on ravelry under "luvinthemommyhood" and we also have a new group on their for the blog as well! come join!
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moments in the mommyhood - running behind


i'm running behind. the hours seem to be slipping by faster than normal lately. my baby is turning one on saturday. now that didn't just slip by it friggin time warped right by me. i've been trying to catch up on a lot of loose ends around here. i'm behind on my emails to some of you (sorry about that), i'm very behind (meaning i haven't even started) on my kids clothes week challenge at all - i'm sad to say i don't think i'm going to make it. oh well, next year right? i have 2 more roundups to do for y'all for comfy sews VS cozy knits but i've just been feeling...well....creative. i've been sewing and knitting instead of hunting the internet. you guys forgive me right? i promise the closure to the spring/summer edition for versus will be up soon :)


sometimes i just hit a wall and all i want is time to craft. and sleep. ahhhh sleep. the teething monster has hit our house again. here come the sleepless nights filled with constant boob feedings. thank god for project runway reruns. they are my old standby at night. any of you being stalked by the teething monster too? damn him! (join our conversation on FB about this too!) to top it off my coffee machine is broken. so now i'm sleepless and coffeeless. the hubs compared me to a gargoyle and a werewolf this morning....so romantic..not. one of my FB readers so aptly and hilariously compared us to "zombie mommies, every last one of us. We don't want brains, we want coffee... ". made my day. thanks melissa!


so this is where i'm left feeling today. like i need a nap. and a fairy sewmother to come finish my tutorial for "free pattern month" and the coffee gods to come and whoosh a brand new coffee maker into my kitchen...pronto :) so here's to camillia (to beat off the teething monster), starbucks frappuccino deals (to beat off the coffee withdrawl monster) and to crossing my fingers i've been a good enough girl that the sleep fairy comes to visit to help my baby and i get a few non breastfeeding hours in tonight.

what is your day in the mommyhood like today? are you beating down the teething monster? what are your tips? wanna commiserate?
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Book Review - Little Crochet: Modern Designs for Babies and Toddler


have you always wanted to start crocheting? do you crochet but are in need of some inspiration? oh my goodness, just wait till you get a peek at the new book by crafter extraordinaire linda permann - little crochet: modern designs for babies and toddlers! to say that i love this book is an understatement. it will be treasured in my home. i can't stop looking at it and marveling over it's loveliness!


the patterns are modern, fresh, fun and timeless. some of them i even had to look twice at to see if it really was crochet!


linda walks you effortlessly through the tools and pattern essentials needed to crochet. i loved that she even has a section on how to pick/choose yarn for crochet and also how to decipher all the different gauges for knitting to use for crochet. she even includes a handy section on making garments fit for your baby that is invaluable. i learned a lot from this section and her schematics. this alone is well worth reading.


the patterns outlined in the book range from items for the nursery, to clothes and gifts. i cannot even begin to choose a favorite. i want to make the whole book. seriously. not joking here. a friend and i have toyed with making each and every project (rebecca..wink wink). a bit loony, i know, but i just love it that much.


i don't remember the last time i was so inspired to crochet. i feel the need to rethink all garments and imagine them in crochet instead of knit/sewn. it's a wonderful feeling and my hooks are looking a lot more cheerful around these parts.


so what are you waiting for? now is the time to start crocheting ladies. it's fun, fast, EASY and oh so stylish! this ain't your grannies crochet anymore! any mom or child would be lucky to have any gift or item from this book. there are many items in the book that are suitable for either a boy or girl. in fact she was inspired to write this book for her nephew.


a big thank you to linda permann for constantly inspiring me with all her wonderful crafty endeavors and for writing little crochet. it honestly is one of my favorite books. you rock linda! linda has also written one of my other fave crochet books - crochet adorned:reinvent your wardrobe with crocheted accents, embellishments and trim. you can find all things linda permann here...


do you crochet? what's your favorite thing/pattern to crochet? have you always wanted to learn? i hope this book inspires you to try a new craft! let's talk crochet ladies!
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Knitterella Giveaway!!!


***this giveaway is now closed. thank you for all of your entries.***

do you ever worry about your handmade items once you've gifted or sold them? i know i do. i wonder if they will be washed ok, treated with love and treasured as much as the heart i put into them. i'm always fretting and writing notes on random papers when gifting things to let the recipient know how to care for the item. it was kind of silly now that i think about it.


then i found knitterella's products - i was ecstatic! i mean seriously....funny, witty and stylish tags to add to all my handmade goodies with washing instructions on the back???!!! fabulous!!!


knitterella also has a wonderful line of stationary and note cards. perfect to give to any crafter to bring a smile to their face...


a sweet special touch to add to all those baby gifts you whip up...


or a thoughtful card to mail or add to any gift just because :) i know i love getting snail mail and what better card to receive if you're a knitter? she's even got notepads people!!! i'm happy dancing right now! knitterella also just released a brand new product! some fabulous organic cotton project bags! so cute! i love these!


in honor of the arrival of these new handy totes jill from knitterella and i thought a giveaway was in order! i'm excited are you guys??? wanna know the prize?






- 3 lucky winners will each receive a knitterella project bag !!! yippee!!!






- visit knitterella and take a look at all her wonderful goodies then come back and leave me a comment telling me which project bag would like to win.
- follow/subscribe to luvinthemommyhood and leave me another comment telling me you did that too.
- "like" luvinthemommyhood and/or knitterella on facebook and leave me another comment telling me you also did that!






* all comments must include a valid email address or you will be disqualified.
* giveaway is open until may 16th, 2011 at midnight pacific standard time.

good luck everyone! jill is also a fabulously talented graphic designer for her other business "jill zielinski designs" who recently did my new blog "versus". she's super fun and easy to work with for any of you looking for some fab help. she also designs knitting patterns too! you can find all things knitterella here...

*shop *blog *facebook *twitter *graphic design

thanks for the giveaway jill and for all your wonderful help over the last few months! you rock!!! you guys go show jill some mommyhood love! she's newly expecting with babe #2 - congrats again hun!
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a little blue...

i'm feeling a bit blue today. my parents and grandma just left this morning and after having a very long cry last night (i know, i'm a bit of a baby) and watching my little girl cry for an hour too i'm not feeling much like posting the post i had planned. it's so hard to be apart from your family and loved ones. i grew up in a very small town where i was lucky and blessed to have my parents, both sets of grandparents and uncle/aunt and cousins. it's just such a different life than i had envisioned for my wee ones to only see my folks & their great grandparents once a year or so. it's hard on me and hard on them. it really cements to me how precious the life i had as a child growing up was and how having all that family nearby helped to shape who i am today.

i have learned to cherish the moments i do see them now and hope my daughters will too but i'm still finding it oh so hard to say goodbye and to get back into the ol'routine. i miss my mommy :P

are any of you missing family? did you grow up with your loved ones nearby and now find yourself living far away from them? how do you cope? what do you do to get through those days when you're feeling a bit blue? come chat, i could use some cheering up :)

(i love you and miss you guys already mom. thank you for everything.)
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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?
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sponsor love - marie madeline studio



you looking for some mother's day delight? check out one of my long time sponsors fabulous shop - marie madeline studio! i love these ladies! a family of super talented ladies who quilt, sew, design patterns, and sell lovely handmade goodies!



they have pretties for the kidlets...


custom made quilts...


 and fabrics and trim to make your own....



these talented ladies have got you covered. i love the mix of fresh fabrics with their timeless and classic styles.



the perfect gift for any lady....little or grown...


come get inspired by the ladies of marie madeline studio.




thanks for all the inspiration ladies! you can find all things marie madeline here...


what's your fave marie madeline pattern? have you made any of their fabulous handbags or aprons before? don't you think these would make a great mother's day pressie?

are you looking for a fun place to advertise your shop or business? email luvinthemommyhood@yahoo.ca for rates and info! we'd love to help spread the word about your fabulous talents :)
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weekend wishes

to get a chance to wear my new earrings from citrus pop (thanks toni, i LOVE them!)...


to find the time to make my crayons look this pretty...


to get some time to spend with me and my sticks...


to take a glorious nap, even if it's just for a few minutes...


to always, always remember this no matter how scary it may seem.


to decide on the perfect sweater to knit for summer...


to acquire enough of a collection of vintage sheets to make a quilt this pretty...


to totally take advantage of the wicked starbucks frappucino deal for the next few days & to looks this stylish drinking it (whose with me?)...







hello friends! man have i missed weekend wishes! it was hard to go a whole month without doing this post. i've always enjoyed doing them but now i know how much i really love them :) it was so sweet to hear that you all missed it too! my pics had all piled up and it was hard to choose what to add for this week.

my folks and grandma are still in town and we've been busy visiting & spending as much time with them as we can before they leave on monday. we plan on celebrating my mom's bday, mother's day & harper's bday on sunday with a yummy dinner! i'm super excited to give my mom her bday pressie that my sister and i have been conspiring over. i'm also excited to get my mother's day gift :) don't get me wrong, i don't NEED a pressie but man, it sure is nice to get a little spoiled especially after tax season. i was a bad girl and already went out and bought half of my present...haha, i know...sad isn't it, but i couldn't resist. i'm sure you all have done the same thing one time or another. it was out of fear. i wanted to make sure i got what i wanted which was...you ready....TEA! boring right? oh well, it makes me happy. i wanted a big huge amount of my fave tea - "angelwater" from the fab local shop silk road tea in town here in victoria. i die over this tea. it's like my mommy drug. calms me and eases the chaos we all call motherhood.

our deck is almost ready for the summer i just need to pick up some hanging baskets this weekend and we're good to go. the tomatoes, herbs and flowers are planted and the cushions are out now i just need the sunshine to come! mmmmmm, bring on the bbq and mojitos!!! i can't wait to sit out there in the summer nights with my quilt and laptop and chat with all you folks :)

what are you all up to this weekend? anyone else wishing for something special for mother's day? you out gardening wishing for sunshine? i hope you all have a wonderful, special, relaxing and family filled mother's day! i get to spend mine with my mommy for the first time in a long time with my own two babies so i'm super excited! happy weekend :)
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catching up on the thirfty goodness


i cannot even explain how excited i was to find another snowflake dish to go in my set and for it to be one of the large casserole dishes with the lid!!! to top off how happy and giddy i already was with my find it was on sale!$!##!! score for me! i couldn't believe my luck! i'm so obsessed with this line it made my month to find it!


the new dish goes with the other 2 turquoise beauties i have. they will always be my faves...sorry other dishes..you know i love you all too :P


i also picked up another fire king dish to match the other 2 i have now (thanks mom). i love this line and hope to find some more. i have a casserole and 2 round ones now.


i've also been drawn to the white pyrex line lately. something about it's simplicity that i'm attracted too. so i finally caved and picked up a large mixing bowl size. needless to say the hubs is starting to freak out about where i'm going to put all of these. i said they are for my dream kitchen..haha and that it's no big deal, i could be buying $200 pairs of shoes but instead i'm buying $8 vintage kitchenware and he let me be.


i've been lucky and found a few new king sized sets of vintage sheets at my local fave haunt as well and you all know how i love me a vintage sheet find! i recently got gifted a huge bin filled with vintage sheet goodness as well! i won't bore you with a gazallion pics of them so let's just say they were yummy! one of my faves is the duvet below.


totally off vintage topic i picked up some new spools of ribbon at michael's and they've been sitting all pretty on the "ironing board monster" inspiring me galore and taking away the horror of the mess that surrounds them. aren't they cute? i'm super in love with the poppy one...am i nuts for loving it so much?


what have you all been finding inspiration in lately that's sitting in your house? any vintage finds you've scooped on lately? you know i love to see pics! share them below or post on our facebook page. it's exciting to see your thrifty goodness too!

p.s. new to pyrex? check out this post for lots of links, inspiration and info on pyrex.
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makin'it in the mommyhood - carefree


a little girl needed a new dress for her 4th bday and she wanted to be able to run, play, skip and jump in it. so i decided to make a pattern from a book of mine "carefree clothes for girls: 20 patterns for outdoor frocks, playdate dresses, and more" by junko okawa. i love the simplicity of the designs in this book and thought they fit perfectly for my taste and what mackenzie wanted.


i decided to try my hand at the pattern "dress with lace doily". instead of making the dress in a natural cotton like i had intended i decided to use a print i picked up from ikea and omitted the doily...i know...i omitted a doily - crazy hey! it was too busy for the dress. i also decided to add the bias trim to finish the dress instead of following the pattern instructions for a more unfinished look. most of making this dress went smoothly but i did have a few oopsies. i forgot to add the seam allowance myself when cutting/tracing the pattern which ended up ok due to how tiny my girl is and i also changed a few of the finishing instructions half way through as i preferred to finish my seams a different way so half of the dress sort of bugs me where you can see the zig zag stitching.


overall though i love the dress. my favorite part is the button and the button loop. i used this fab tutorial from the oh so talented ysolda tseague to sew up the pretty closure. i love it! i'll definitely be using this more often!


the best part about sewing this dress - she loves it and it's proven to be the perfect dress to twirl in, jump in, play in and just be an active 4 year old girl in.


what have you all been making lately? any patterns you've tried and loved? i haven't forgotten to show pics of the dress i made for mack's friends bday but i'm waiting to get pics done still. any patterns you've been dying to make and haven't had a chance yet? let's talk sewing ladies!
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moments in the mommyhood - tutus & bubbles

we finally got a day on the weekend with the hubs and this is what we got up to....


lots of playing in the sunshine at a local park that we like to affectionately call "our backyard". we live in a condo so green space is a treat for us and this is our fave place to go to let the kids run wild without worrying about streets, cars and too many pedestrians. i even got some knitting done while the kidlets & their dad ran amuck. i'm just finishing the neck strap for harper's hat....i'm so close to being done i can almost taste it! we let harper and mack run free (so adorable to see harper trotting along after big sis), the bubbles go wild and the tutus were out in full swing! aren't those tutus so friggin cute!? my lovely fellow canadian friend laura of the blog "on the laundry line" and shop of the same name sent up for the kidlets. she'll have more in stock in her shop after the 7th in case you want your wee ones to sport them too. she also has a giveaway going on right now for a shop credit. click here to enter for your chance to win!


things have been busy over here with lots of family in town and another bday looming. i have to admit i'm pooped. the house has beat me down again..haha. even after having some help come in to clean a bit it's conquered me. i'm sure i'm not the only one feeling this way, it's that time of year. i keep having nightmares about being buried alive under my laundry...seriously, it's sad folks. i feel the need to do a big purge and clean. i also am ready to have the hubs around a bit more again. i'm exhausted. we get a few days this week with no school/overtime for him so we are going to take advantage of it. if posts come up a bit late in the mornings around here you'll know why. i may have actually gone to bed before midnight :)

i've been super busy working on a free pattern coming your way for grosgrain this month as well as trying to get the final 2 roundups done for versus! i've got lots of pics to take of stuff i've been sewing during the last month and also some new vintage goodies i've found the last few weekends! i've also got a special post coming this week for you too and i'm crossing my fingers i'll be able to join in on elsie marley's kids clothes week next week :)

what have you all been up to? anyone else getting beat by their household chores? missing their partners? you all planning on joining in on kid's clothes week too? let's chat ladies...i've missed ya!
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puppet play made our day!


we love puppets in our house. i've been known to rock a pretty mean paper bag puppet as well as some finger puppets in my time so when i heard about the new book "puppet play: 20 projects made with recycled mittens, towels, socks and more" by diana schoenbrun i got excited! when you put repurposing and crafting your own puppets together in one book you've got a happy momma, happy kidlets and a fun day of crafty excitement in our house.


puppet play is filled with imaginative ways to repurpose items and objects in your house into adorable puppets. as you can see by my daughters reactions we're pretty happy with this book. we've been having quite the time trying to actually narrow down which one we are going to start with. she thinks (for the moment) that we should start with the cat puppet and i think i agree. the book is filled with easy to follow instructions, bright, colorful photos, illustrations and even a chapter on how to present your own puppet show!

how cute is that cat puppet?

i love that diana infuses the green movement into her teachings to children (and families) throughout her career and in her book. she uses puppets as a way to inform them about repurposing and recycling items by using their imaginations. i'm always trying to show mackenzie how to see things as having more than one purpose and this book takes it one step further by helping her to envision fun critters in her mind and then learn how to make them from an old glove or sock.


diana is a published illustrator, author and crafter. she also teaches puppet and playwriting classes to kiddos as well as works at a unique puppet design studio - puppet heap. how's that for a fun career hey?! the author of "beasties" and "puppet play" is one creative lady! i couldn't even imagine how exciting it would be to design and make puppets all day so i couldn't resist getting a chance to ask her a few questions mommyhood style :)



When did you first develop a love for puppetry and all things puppet? When you aren't making puppets & other fun creatures what is your craft of choice?

As a child I enjoyed watching shows that included puppets such as Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood, Sesame Street, The Muppets, and Dinosaurs. I was captivated by the imaginary world that is created using puppets. The tactile quality and animated characters always intrigued me.

When I’m not crafting or sewing puppets or 3-D characters I enjoy drawing and painting. This is usually the starting point for many of my ideas. I enjoy creating art through collage. I even have a paper collection that I organize by color.


If you could be a puppet which puppet would you be?

I would be a marionette artist puppet. My hands would be paintbrushes and my legs would be pencils. This is a puppet that I have been wanting to make for a while. When the puppet dances the feet draw and when the puppet swings its arms it paints beautiful images with its hands.

You also teach puppet making to children. Do you find this a successful way to incorporate more knowledge to the younger generation on how to reuse & repurpose in a fun and imaginative way?

Yes, I think teaching new ways of making puppets is just one way to show children how to repurpose something. Children can learn how to reinvent their toys or create new ones with resources they already have. Repurposing materials pushes children to experiment more. Art projects such as making masks, sewn dolls, and using found objects can add new life to the toy box. Learning how to reuse and recycle will help children in other areas.


Tell us a little bit about the design process you have & where you draw inspiration from when it comes to puppet making. What tips do you have for moms looking to craft puppets at home with their kids?

Sometimes I may start with a particular idea in mind or character, while sometimes an object may inspire me. I often like to sketch out an idea. Sometimes a puppet will evolve as I work on it. For example, I was quite lazy one week and I let my recycling pile up which was actually a good thing. I used the cans to make the robot puppet called Bean-Bot. While the Five Little Pigs puppet was made from a glove that I had lost the mate to during winter. I thought it was perfect to go with the children’s nursery rhyme.


Parents should look no further than their homes. Search the recycling and trash cans(if its not too stinky). Try to use whatever you have at home such as string, rubber bands, cardboard, holey socks, old board game pieces, or even a pet’s toy. Parents and kids can be inventive together and have fun making their own puppets and coming up with new ideas. This is a great hands-on opportunity that gets kids and parents involved with a DIY project that is rewarding.


One of my dreams since I was a little girl was to have my own craft book one day. What advice do you have to other women looking to successfully develop a career in the creative field & in publishing?

I think publishing is a very rewarding and competitive career. There are many different aspects that go into the publishing process. It’s important to develop and strengthen your skills by taking classes or workshops in art or writing. Receiving feedback and criticism about your writing is important in publishing. I suggest doing extensive research for your book ideas to make sure your book stands out from others. Be bold and original!

thanks for letting us kick off your book blog tour diana!!! we love it!!!


you can find more about diana schoenbrun and puppet play on the following...


here's a fun trailer for puppet play: 20 projects made with recycled mittens, towels, socks and more and...


don't forget to join in on the rest of her blog book tour at these other fantabulous sites!

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Sponsor Love - Sensory Store Canada

is it a pain to dress your child in your house? are they uncomfortable in most clothes? do seams and tags bug the heck out of them? that's what goes on in our house most days. if you're going through the same thing with your child check out our fab sponsor "sensory store canada" for help dealing with all those issues.

sensory store canada sells stylish, modern clothing for all kids "including those with autism, sensory processing disorder, ADHD, and tactile defensiveness/sensitivity" by using "flat seaming and seamless construction for extra comfort, 100% of the softest combed cotton and specially developed soft sensory blends , wide collars, encased elastic waistbands, printed labels (tagless), custom fits, and much more" all while still being trendy and adorable.


busy mom of 3, lori, runs sensory store canada. her oldest child has autism so she knows first hand about the gap that existed in the market when it came to finding clothing that was comfortable for her child to wear especially in canada. when lori came across the Soft® Clothing Company she knew she had to bring the wonderful brand to canada.


sensory store canada has everything from jeans & shorts, dresses & tops to undies and seamless socks! fabulous! i want a pair of those socks! so comfy!


so stop the battles with dressing your child in the morning and your search for seamless, soft and tagless clothing. check out the sensory store today and make getting dressed in your house an enjoyable process for both you and your child.


head on over to sensory store canada to check out their spring line and their fabulous facebook friday deal that's on today too! for every $30 you spend in the shop till midnight tonight (PST) you'll receive a free short sleeve tee! all you have to do is mention at checkout in the message box what size/color you'd like :) sounds great! happy shopping! you can find more sensory store canada here:


you can also find lori's other business "apples to oranges consulting - special diets for special kids" where she helps helps other parents transition their child to the gluten free & casein free diet offering practical solutions for today's busy family.

do you have to fight to dress your child every day? what do you do to help deal with crazy morning? have you switched to seamless/tagless clothing for your children?
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Winner of the Freshly Picked Giveaway & the Jane Richmond Giveaway!!!


time to announce the winners of our giveaways!!! first up the $100 shop credit to the fabulous shop freshly picked! i'm not going to keep you all in suspense any longer to find out who the winner of this fantabulous prize is......so here you go.....the winner of the freshly picked giveaway is....

felicia said... [Reply to comment] 138 I follow you :)

3littlebirdsstitchco(at)gmail(dot)com

congratulations felicia!!!!!!!!!!!! susan will be in touch with you soon. so excited for you to get your moccasins! your daughter is a lucky girl :)


a big thank you again to susan for such a generous and awesome prize! you can find all things freshly picked...



now on to the winner of the fabulous jane richmond giveaway!!!!!!! 3 winners are going to get some great prizes from jane richmond!!!

our first winner is.........

eLBie said... [Reply to comment] 57

The patterns are so cute!!!! I am in love with the oatmeal pullover, pasha, and amelia <3 Follow luvinthemommyhood


2nd winner is.....
Emily said... [Reply to comment] 141

I follow Versus!
emily.falke@gmail.com

and our 3rd winner...

I've got luninthemommyhood in my google reader subscription list. :)
April 22, 2011 5:53 PM

congratulations ladies! jane will be in touch with you all soon!
thanks again jane!!! find more jane richmond designs here:


hope you all had fun entering! have a wonderful, crafty filled weekend folks!
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The Spring Frills Scarf with Guest Anneliese of Aesthetic Nest


our last guest for comfy sews VS cozy knits is the talented, creative, beautiful mom of 3 anneliese of the gorgeous blog "aesthetic nest". i'm so excited that anneliese is back again this season with a crochet pattern to throw into the mix!!! i couldn't have this theme month without one more crochet pattern :P


anneliese's blog is filled with gorgeous and inspiring goodies. from food, sewing, painting, crochet, knitting and parties galore this talented ladies got it.


her style is gorgeous. her children are oh so cute as are the patterns and items in her etsy shop.


so trust me when i say to pop over to the aesthetic nest and get lost in anneliese's world.


how she manages to find the time to make all these beautiful handmade goodies with 3 wee ones is beyond me but i'm gonna keep bugging her till she tells me. in the meantime though....


let's hear how she makes the pretty spring frills scarf....here's anneliese...



I love these battles Shannon stages, because without the opportunity to duke it out I might never make something for myself! If you ever stop by Aesthetic Nest you know my three daughters are usually the focus of my creative production. So thank you, Shannon, for keeping some luv in the mommyhood--all moms need something for themselves every once in a while.

This project may be the perfect thing if you find a few minutes to work on something for yourself. It's crochet and I'm taking sides this Spring because crochet can travel, you can pick it up for just a minute or two and drop it when someone spills the milk, it doesn't create a big mess you have to clean up a the end of nap time, and it produces results quickly! In fact, this particular project, the Spring Frills Scarf, fits into no time at all. It works up quickly, but more more importantly, it works up rather mindlessly. It's perfect for carrying along to work on while waiting in the car, or for an appointment, or on a vacation--with just 1 or 2 skeins and a hook it can easily fit in your purse, diaper bag or carry on. And the simple instructions mean you rarely have to refer to the pattern--you can just work away. I started work on this in one day on a recent vacation while riding in a car, on windy roads no less, because the repetitive stitch work meant I could look ahead most of the time and avoid motion sickness! It's true!


A scarf may not be the first thing you think of wearing in the spring, but this is lightweight and cotton and offers a number of options for throwing over a work or SAHM outfit. Plus, it has ruffles, and we can all use a few more of those, can't we? It's Spring! Let's add some frills.


If you are new to crochet, you can do this! And if you have been doing it for a while, you can do this quickly! So without further delay, here we go.

hop on over to versus for the rest of the tutorial...
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Reversible Skirt Tutorial with Guest Disney of Ruffles and Stuff


i'm super excited to have one of the sweetest bloggers i know, disney of the blog "ruffles and stuff" join us today with a pretty cool reversible skirt tutorial! i love this tute! it's timeless, adaptable and so much fun! i'm definitely going to have to try my hand at making one of these.


disney's blog has been one of my favorites for a very long time. her photography, styling, fun personality and adorable daughter make it an irresistible place to visit.


you can find tutorials galore for ladies, little girls and for your home. you can even fancy up a pretty snazzy accessory as well! you ready to get inspired? get your fabrics ready & your machines warmed up to get working on any number of disney's tutorials.


now let's hear from disney...


Oh! I'm so excited to be part of Versus, I don't even know what to do with myself. What an honor! Thank you, Shannon!

And I'm extra-excited to be in sewing's corner of the ring. Sewing is such an open field for creativity. I don't want to make the knitting ladies feel bad, knitting is so lovely, and you can make some very lovely things. But, seriously, with sewing, what can't you do? If the choice comes between the two, for me, it's sewing-hands down.

And to help state my case, here's a lovely little sewing tutorial from me to you!


A reversible skirt.

One skirt, two looks! With simple, beginner-type directions.


head on over to versus for the rest of the tutorial...
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Spring Wrap Belt & Bracelet Tutorial with Guest Sascha of Piccoli Piselli


our next talented guest is sascha from the wonderful blog piccoli piselli. i fell in love with sacha's blog at first site sometime last summer. her style, taste, sewing skills and gorgeous photos just lured me in. piccoli piselli is a pretty and inspiring place to go visit. i knew when i decided to do a spring/summer version of comfy sews VS cozy knits that i had to ask sascha. i'm so happy she said yes :)


sascha has some great sewing tips and tutorials on her blog. she's also pretty handy with some diy. you can purchase some of her lovely handmade goods in her shop as well. she makes some pretty darn stylish baby carriers if you ask me :)


she's also the talented lady behind the "lego play table" from this year's session of "celebrate the boy".


you can always tell when sascha's made something. she always leaves a little piece of her style on her garments. her fabric pairings are fun with a touch of whimsy. i also love that she loves sewing with knits so much and makes it look super easy to do. she's always inspiring me to get the knits out...and add just that "little extra something special" to a handmade garment.


now let's hear from sascha...


Hello everyone from the Mommyhood! I'm Sascha from Piccoli Piselli. I'm so excited to be a part of such an amazing group of bloggers. I also want to say thanks to Shannon for asking me to jump into the Versus ring. I was thrilled when she asked me to contribute.

I'm here to show something for the Comfy Sews side of things. It's no secret that I like sewing with knits. I'm usually creating clothes for my kids and for some reason I find it hard to sit down and make something for myself. I'm also usually dressed the same way every day. A white t-shirt and jeans. I'm not kidding about everyday. So I decided to create something that could spruce up my daily uniform without going too far out of my comfort zone. There's no denying how cozy knit fabric is to wear. For those of you new to sewing with knits or nervous about trying it out, this is the perfect project for you.



click here for the full tutorial...
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moments in the mommyhood - the view from my seat


this is what i see in the backseat of my car...


am i the only one seeing a view like this???....


thankfully i have this too :)


no roundup today ladies. it's coming though. i'm taking the day off...sort of. i'm still sick - bah. insert my whining here...i won't bore you with it but i will say that being voiceless for almost a week has been hell! especially when you have all your family in town visiting and you have a 4 year old's bday to throw with lots of people you can't talk to due to having no voice :( to top it off the hubs is in the middle tax season hell and is awol most of the time. so needless to say i'm exhausted, still sick and finally went to bed early.

the roundup will be up sometime this week as will our last week of fabulous guest tutorials! wait till you see the goodies we've got this week! love em! have you all been enjoying versus? just in case some of you haven't joined in on our fun conversations on facebook/twitter (come like me) i have started a luvinthemommyhood ravelry group that you can all join to come talk about all things knitting and crochet. lots of fun!

don't forget to get your entries in for the two amazing giveaways we have going on too -

* freshly picked $100 shop credit
* a whole bunch of free patterns and a tote from jane richmond

wowsa ladies! i'm jealous :P how's your week been? did you all have a great easter weekend? any of you get your easter sewing all done? happy tuesday
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