Shirt For Brighton

Another creation from Carefree Clothes for Girls. This little top is THE REASON I wanted this book. I was just so in love with it.

I picked up a yard of this fabric for $1! Awesome. I saw it on clearance at JoAnns and didn't buy it because I couldn't think of a use for it. Then they had a 50% of all clearance sale. I had to get it even if I didn't know what I'd do with it. I just loved it too much. I got the doily at the second hand store for 50 cents. $1.50 isn't bad for a new super cute shirt that B loves.

I love the simplicity of these patterns. They have very few pieces and come together quickly. I love the HANDmade look, but I'm not a super big fan of the author's "HOMEmade" look. Most edges are left unfinished to fray. I added another 1/2" to the bottom for a finished hem but decided I might like the little sleeves to fray a bit.

Up close of fabric and doily.

Brighton's New Quilt

You may have noticed Brighton's quilt on her bed in her room pictures, and if not, shame on you! While we've been potty training I brought my sewing machine downstairs so I could do something while I'm on Brighton like flies on...

I found an old linen table cloth at an antique store about a year and a half ago with the intentions of making it be a quilt top, quilting around all the fun shapes. Boy did I get ahead of myself! I did about three of the shapes and got fed up, ripped out the threads and decided to just stipple the thing. Wow. I LOVE stippling. It goes way fast! The back is just a plain, light pink sheet that I bought at IKEA for $2 (not THIS year, I'm still good with my "don't spend money" resolution). And then I bound it in some scraps from a sheet I bought ages ago and made my apron out of. (wow, that was a LONG time ago...)

I also hid a little heart in the quilting. I just thought it would be so much more-super-cuter that way. Can you see it?

Brighton's Room

So I realized that I've never gotten around to showing you Brighton's room. It's NOWHERE near done, so don't judge the lack of cuteness that she has compared to Mason's room. It's a work in progress...

As you walk into her room, this little nook is right on your left. It probably won't stay here, but for right now, I don't really know what else to do with this stuff that I want in her room. Here's her princess stool and a chair that I picked up on the side of the road- it said free and I spray painted it.

Next to that little nook, is Brighton's super cute kitchen that my Aunt Janet got for B. I hung up a picture above her "sink" and there were some holes already in the wall where I hung the B, L and H. Again, not permanently there, just up off the floor until I decide.

On to the BIG GIRL BED! She's been in this since July and she's in love with her bed. I'm in love with her bed. We hung up the curtains a few weeks ago and that REALLY helped to make the room seem more "finished." And then there's all B's quilts, piled up on her bed. If you look closely at the nightstand, you can see a little cherub sitting next to the lamp (my amazing $5 Value Village lamp that I'm IN LOVE WITH). She picked the cherub out at Goodwill. Already a bargain hunter. I'm so proud. She always tells me that "it's a boy" and "he's praying."

This is where her babies sleep. Well, the ones that don't end up in bed with her, which isn't many. This is also the future home of a dresser, possibly, if I can find one that I like. The walls are bare, I know. I'm looking for a good mirror and then I have a ton of little things to set on the one-day-will-be-here-dresser.

Some of the babies.

Here's Brighton's hair clip holder and her growth chart.

Like I said, a work in progress. I haven't decided what color I want to paint in here or what EXACTLY my vision is. It really is just a random collection of things that I like. We'll see how it goes!

For Super Bowl Sunday

I thought I was being really REALLY clever when I made some football shaped cake balls for Super Bowl Sunday. I tried a new chocolate, which I hated working with, and I was too lazy to pipe on some laces and little white rings around the ends. I just used white sprinkles.

THEN I go to Bakerella.com to see what she's up to, and find these. I really should have piped on some laces, huh? But I DID make some green coconut grass. And that turned out alright.

Freezer Paper-ing!

Seriously, this week, all it takes is just a little freezer paper to make me happy. These are simple, quick projects that make me feel complete! Anyone else that way when it comes to crafting? It literally makes my day.

I saw a shirt at the babyGap outlet before Mason was born that said, "Lock Up Your Daughters." I thought it was so cute but couldn't bring myself to spend the money on something I could make. I whipped one up for a baby shower on Tuesday night.

I also found that if I work fast and I let the paint dry *just enough* I can rip that freezer paper stencil off and reuse it! :) YAY! So I made one for Mason, too.

Now, these ones are my FAVORITE! A friend's little boy was wearing this really cute frog shirt that said "Prince Charming" and I decided that I wanted one for Mason. So here's his frog prince shirt!

Again, I ripped off that freezer paper and quickly ironed it onto a onesie, and made another one for some baby boy in the future. It could be for you, you never know!

Love Garland

This was the craft we did at the Little Birdie Secrets blog party on Thursday night. Now that I know what I'm doing, I wanted to make it bigger and with stuff that I already had around the house, so I got started RIGHT AWAY!

Here's what you need:

1. 2 file folders, unless you have awesome, thick paper already

2. pretty paper for the hearts- I used wrapping paper because I'm not a scrapbooker with piles of paper around

3. Two strips of contrasting paper for the fan looking thing on the "O" (See garland picture for details on what I'm talking about...). I cut mine about 12" long and 1 1/2" wide.

4. Tulle scraps and ribbons to tie the hearts together

5. Felt, buttons, or anything else you can think of to make the "O" really cute! At the blog party we had crocheted hearts. I was thinking a flower or rose could be cute too. Just go with whatever your heart desires.

1. Draw a heart on the file folders. I liked the lopsided heart the Birdies used.

2. Cut out four hearts.

3. If you're using larger paper like me, cut a piece that will fit your hearts.
4. Glue your folder hearts to your paper. I like Mod Podge and it's what I've got on hand. Just be sure to press out the bubbles before it starts to dry!
5. I got too excited to wait for the glue to dry so I cut those hearts out right away, and then they started to curl! So put something on them to keep 'em flat whether your impatient like me or you're really good at waiting.
6. Now take your strips and start folding them like a paper fan. I did my first fold 3/4" wide. Glue both strips together and then glue the ends together to make a ring.

7. Cut two circles from your file folder about the size of a quarter. Turn your fan circle thing so that it lays flat and glue a circle in the middle, on each side, like this:

8. Lay out your hearts to decide how you want then to hang and hole punch on both sides.

9. Thread your tulle through the holes (not the very end holes, though) and tie. My tulle was about 9-10" long and about 4 inches wide. I added a gingham ribbon in to add some more color. And, I know, I had red tulle in the beginning picture, but I tied it on, and decided I didn't like it. Luckily I had some white tulle laying around. Tie some regular ribbon in the holes on the ends to hang your garland.

10. Cut out an "L," "V," and "E" from contrasting paper. I brushed them with glue and dusted glitter on them, even though you can't really see it. Also, cut a 3 1/2" circle of the contrasting paper for your fan circle to go on. I also put glitter on that. Glue them down on the hearts so that it sort of spells love. Glue your circle fan to the glittered circle that's supposed to be your "O."

11. Add your crocheted heart, some felt, or a button to the center of your fan circle, hang your garland and enjoy!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Little Birdie Secrets Blog Party

Last night was the Little Birdie Secrets Blog Party! We had a lot of fun meeting the gals who are behind the great crafting curtain! And of course, no crafty blog party would be complete without a craft!

Here's Jessica, me, and Laura with our lovely LOVE garlands that the Birdie Girls helped us put together. It was a great night of yummy treats, good conversations with fellow bloggers, and lots of eye candy (we were in a scrapbooking store- AMAZING!). Check out Bri's blog for more pictures (she was actually good about taking pictures, this is the only one I got!).

Thanks Little Birdie Girls for a fun night!

The Handsomest Little Man

Just some random shots of Mason as he was laying on the floor yesterday. I just love this little guy!

Seriously? You want me to smile for a picture?

OK!!!

How about a sly smile?

Or a full belly laugh? The most mreshess.

Potty Training

We started potty training Brighton on Monday. I've put it off for too long, she's almost two and a half, and is well past ready! It's been tough- she doesn't want to be interupted during play time to go sit on the potty, but she's only had a few accidents. And most of those accidents have been like "half accidents." She gets a little on the floor and then gets the rest on the potty. I just wish I knew how long it was going to take! She didn't have any accidents yesterday, but has lapsed a little today with nothing making it to the potty. I've just got to keep on truckin'!

Be A Loser

I joined up with some church friends for Marysville's "Be A Loser" challenge. Maybe a little pressure from being responsible to others will help me have the motivation to stay out of the pantry and on the treadmill.

So here's my team! We're the Incredible Shrinkables and we're excited to get in shape and help each other out with our weight loss goals. We've got until June to become our very best selves!