The Princess Peach Dress

Well guys, I'm out. :( But o-well. This was my entry:

I loved this week's challenge!  Let's be honest; I totally need a challenge like this every week.  Maybe then I'd actually get through my slightly ridiculous stash of fabric.  Maybe.  Please tell me that some of you buy fabric just because it's pretty too?  Quite a bit of what I buy fabric wise is because it's pretty and not necessarily because I have a plan for it... YET.  The "yet" part is important; I always come up with something eventually!!

For this week's "Spring Cleaning" challenge I give you:

Can you tell a six year old named the dress?  Haha!  Super Mario is well loved by the kid's in my life.  Isn't my niece so cute?!  At one point I told her to say "I'm Princess Peach."  Instead she said, "I'm Princess Mario!"  Then cracked up.  She's so funny. :) 

I've had both of these fabrics for a while.  The pink one I got for like two bucks at Savers!!  Thrift stores can be awesome for getting really nice/pretty fabrics for cheap!!  The bridal lace/chiffon I got with a 50% off coupon from Joann's... mostly because I had a 50% off coupon. ;)  And the bunny button's were just some cute buttons I had picked up a while ago.  Together I think they make a pretty cute Easter dress!  (How perfect are the bunny buttons for an Easter dress?!)

All in all, I LOVE the end result of this little dress (that I designed)!  (I think my niece likes it too.) ;)

Hello all! Welcome to another week of Tute {Yourself} Tuesday!!

Have your guys checked out the entries over at One Month to Win It yet?  If not head over there, check out the awesome entries and VOTE!! :)  (But don't let your oohing and ahhing over the entries stop you from linking up!)

Also, I am traveling today, so there will not be a tutorial or featured post from last week until next week. :)

So, let's get this party started!! :)

Phew!

Well, my stress is over for this week!  wait.  Scratch that.  My WAITING stress is over for the week.

I made it through to the next round!!  WOOHOOO!

Now I just have to get the rest of my projects done, take pictures, edit them, pack, get my house clean before I leave and then get to the airport on time (6:40 is a VERY early flight for people that don't usually get up until after 9...today Eme didn't wake up till 10:30!!)  Oh, and we might buy a car somewhere in the middle of all that.

So wish me luck on everything else that is/will cause stress... But at least the waiting is over!! :)  I'm excited to be continuing! :)

Trashed Toddler Play Table to Beautiful Toddler Bed and Learning Center

Did ya guess this was mine?!  I love it so much!  I can hardly wait till Eme is old enough to use it as a bed. :)  But, it's already a great play table for him... he doesn't get that that the chalk is for drawing, not eating though!  We're working on that! haha!

This first week's challenge was so much fun!  I went straight to the DI and was SUPER lucky to find a majorly trashed toddler play table!  It sparked a very fun (and soon to be needed) project!  So, without further ado; I give you: The (Trashed) Toddler Play Table to Beautiful Toddler Bed By Night and Learning Center By Day!

To begin this make over, I spray painted the table and little stool a pretty light blue.  I also removed the (very ugly) rope drawer pulls and plugged the holes with wood filler.  After it had dried, I (ok my hubby) attached the pretty new drawer handles I had picked out.  (Thanks babe!)

To make this work as a bed, I had to make a mattress.  I did this by stuffing two body pillows into a mattress form that I made using thrifted sheets.  Velcro makes for easy removal and cleaning of the mattress form.  I also used thrifted sheets to make the bedding set and a thrifted pillow to make the "E" accent pillow. The star is corduroy that I had in my stash.

To make the learning center, I painted one side of the table top with chalkboard paint and glued a map of The United States on the other.  (I plan to homeschool, so I figure this will be a fun, easy way to get started with geography early.  Plus it makes for a nice "train" background, don't you think??) :) 

I love this new little bed/playtable!!  And I love that it saves a TON of space!!  The fact that the mattress can also be a soft base for playing isn't a bad thing either!  No cracked heads = a very good thing! The possibilities for play on this table are endless!  Legos? check.  Trains? Check.  Painting? why not?  Really, it's just the perfect space and size for my little monkey!

Tute {Yourself} Tuesday # 10 FEATURES!!

I know my postings lately have been L.A.M.E.  I've been pretty consumed with my projects for One Month To Win It.  Especially since I am (unexpectedly) heading to Seattle next Tuesday morning (REALLY) early.  That means that I need to get all THREE of the rest of my projects done this week.  Say it with me: YIKES.  Plus I came down with a cold yesterday, so I have Z.E.R.O. energy and generally feel yucky.  It's awesome.  I actually started this post yesterday morning then ran out of energy.

I'm sorry I haven't had any tutorials for you of late.  Hopefully I'll be able to amend that soon.  Also, even though I had planned to pick testers and send the patterns out last week, it didn't happen and then the power surge happened and I can't even access them to send.  Boo.

Hopefully, I'll be getting my replacement cord/surge protector in the next day or two and it will fix the problem... if not... I'm not gonna think about that if not right now, mmK?

For now, please enjoy some awesome highlights from last week's party!

First up, from I'm a Mom Not a Professional, Rolo Cookies.  Umm.  YUM!  These look so good!  She also has a Peppermint Patty variation.  I can't wait to try these!!

Next, from Bugaboo, Mini Mr and Me, we have a very cool Glowing Globe Nightlight.  She even shows how to WIRE it.  WOW.  Plus it just looks REALLY cool. :)

Our Seven Dwarfs shared her super sweet Crocheted Baby Gift.  I love the colors she chose! Isn't the ripple pattern pretty?

Rhapsody of Cacophony linked up her Home Made Creme Eggs.  I love Creme Eggs don't you?!  She made her's the size of cupcakes!  I'll take one please!!

Fowl Single File shared her Sheep (Cake) and CUPCAKES!!  These are freaking AWESOME!  So, SO cute!!!

Apparently, I'm all about the sweets this week!  Three out of five are treats!  haha!

Thanks everyone for linking up!!

Stay tuned tomorrow for the reveal of which OMTWI project was mine!!! :)

Time to VOTE!!! :)

Ok guys! It's votin' day!!!  Head on over to One Month To Win It and vote for your favorite!! :)

Oh man... I'm so nervous!

I got my entry in for this week's One Month to Win It in.  Voting opens tomorrow.  I CAN'T TAKE THE SUSPENSE!!!  Lol.  Going a little crazy around here... maybe I'll go start on next week's project to stay occupied... or maybe I'll just watch Food Network.  maybe both.  Happy Sunday. :)

Houston... We have a problem.

My laptop won't charge.  We're worried that the power outage last night fried my cord.  Not.  Happy.

On a much happier note though, The Idea Room is featuring my Li'l Bunny Tutorial and Pattern today. :)

Check it out here.

I just had the best night. (And Tute {Yourself} Tuesday #10)

Tonight was unexpectedly awesome.  It started as a simple suggestion (by me) that we use the gift card to The Pizza Factory that my husband had received from his work as a Christmas gift as an alternative to making dinner.  He was game; and we invited his sister and her son (that is 2 months younger then Eme) to join us.  We had a ball.  Yummy food, two hilarious toddlers, and I didn't have to make dinner?!!  Woohoo!  (Not that I don't love to cook, but it's nice to not have to do the dishes.)

After we ate we took the boys into Fat Cats (which is a "fun center/arcade" type place- they even have bowling and bumper cars) to look at the lights, but then decided to let them ride the little merry-go-round.  Oh. My. Gosh.  When my SIL got my nephew out of his carseat he started yelling "OOOH!  WOW! OOH!  WOW!"  Over and over.  It was hysterical.  We were dying laughing. 

Then because we also had a gift card to Fat Cats we decided to stay a little longer and play a few games with the kids... Ok, and I might have played a game of DDR. (Dance Dance Revolution for those of you scratching your heads as to what DDR is.)  ;)  Yeah, I know.  Total teenager game; but have you tried it?!  So. Much. Fun.  I'm fairly decent at it (but my hubby STILL beats me every time.  Don't tell him I told you.  haha!) but tonight the game KICKED my trash.  Know why?  Oh, prolly because I haven't done a real cardio work out since BEFORE I was pregnant with Eme.  (For those of you counting, that's almost 2 years now.)  Oops.  I should get on that.  Time to break out my old Playstation and start DDRing it up everyday again.  (What?  Yes I have DDR at my house.  You know you want one too.) 

For those of you that want a good work out, but don't like to work out, try DDR.  I PROMISE that you will get a REALLY good cardio work out, but it won't feel like working out, so you'll do it longer and harder then you normally would.  Anyway... moving away from my passionate tangent about DDR, we really had a good time tonight. :)

BUT!  It wasn't over for me.  We went home and got Eme in bed and then I got a text from a good friend wanting to go get cupcakes.  Cupcakes you say?!  um... yes, please.  So said friend picks me (and another friend) up and we head on our merry way, but not to get cupcakes... The cupcake place was already closed, so we got yummy hot chocolate instead and had a LOVELY talk.

It was a totally unexpected, FUN evening that was SO very needed.  I'm tired and my lungs are full of junk (from the 5 minutes of cardio DDR that I did. Asthma.  Blech.) but, I am feeling so much better then I have in several weeks. 

I posted last week that I was really feeling the winter blahs and was in serious need of a pick me up.  Well, tonight was exactly what I needed. 

I'm sorry posts have been a little slow these last few weeks.  And I STILL need to pick out testers. (Tomorrow, I promise.)  Thank you for your kind and encouraging words (and for not abandoning me as a lost cause.)  Sorry that this post has been a bit of a ramble, but, it is nice to be feeling a lot more like myself. :)

Now that I've talked your ears off, would you be so kind as to share a project/story/recipe/whatever that you've been working on?  I can't wait to see it! :)

Well guys, I'm kind of back in sewing business...

This is the machine I'm using:

And yes.  It's as old as it looks.  I don't know the exact year it was made, but I think I can safely say it's at least 50 years old.

Wish me luck.  I'm fairly certain I'll be needing it.

Is anyone else feeling the "winter doldrums?"

Cause I am.  :/ 

Anyone know of a good pick me up?

Sweet Little Bow Hat {and a Small Brag on my Hubby}

Here's a sweet little hat with a bow!  Recognize the bow?  It's the same one from the pattern/tutorial I posted here.

I think it's fun and a little different.

Which makes it super special right?!  haha.  Really though, I really like this look.

It's got a button with glitter in the center of it, but you can't really see the glitter in the pic.  I promise it's there!

I love the purple as an alternative to pink.  That's not to say that I'm not completely obsessed with pink.  'Cause I totally am.  But it's nice to change it up occasionally.

Before I go, I have to brag on my hubby just a bit.  We went on our Valentine's date last night. We got to leave the little man at home too!!!  WOOHOO!!  A few hours break for me (which after the cranky, teething week Eme had, was SOO needed.) 

The plan was that we were going out to pho (our fav) and then going to Barnes and Noble for a few hours of leisurely browsing.  I had gotten us both a $20 groupon so that we could each get a book or two of our choosing.  This would have been an AWESOME date. 

However, Dave had something else planned.  We still went had pho and hit the bookstore, but, we only stayed at the book store for 45 minutes or so.  We then went to "play games" with a few friends at the church building.  When we got there and went in, we (the wife-ies) found that our hubbies had spent a TON of time putting together a dance for us.  They had lined the cultural hall in Christmas lights, made a tent of streamers, had a disco ball, snacks and everything!!  My hubby used to DJ for weddings, so he had broken out his old equipment.  It was incredible!!  And so, SO sweet! 

For someone that spent the first 26 years of their life dancing/teaching dance, Dancing = Happiness.

I couldn't have asked for a better night. 

Thanks Babe!!  I love you. :)

What are you guys doing for Love Day??

Sorry guys! The link closed early... It's back up!

I'm apparently a spaz. 

Sweet Little Baby Moccasins Pattern and Tutorial

Ok guys!  It's here it is!!!  I know a lot of you have been waiting for it; sorry it's taken me all day to get it up.  Like I said earlier, little Eme is teething and is therefore really not in to me doing much else then hold him.  And even when I'm am holding him he's fussy, fussy, FUSSY.  I may just be a little bit insane right now.  Poor guy has at least four teeth coming in though. :(
Anyway!  Let's get on with the....

Woohoo!!!

This is the first crochet pattern that I've ever put together for another person to be able to read and follow.  Generally, when I'm making a pattern it's all kinds of shorthand that only I can follow.  So, what I guess I'm saying is this:  If you come across any problems or get stuck at some point, please email me or comment here and I will fix whatever it is that I messed up!  haha! 

Also, I'd like to thank  Mon Petit Violon for allowing me to share her sole pattern.  (The soles of these moccasins are from this pattern.)  The rest of the pattern is mine. :)


Size:

0-6 months, app. 10 cm foot length.

Materials:
Aprox. 10 g of light weight yarn for color one . 
Aprox. 20 g of light weigh yarn for color two.
Crochet hook size “D” (or size needed to obtain gauge.)

(The turquoise/brown yarns are Patons Silk Bamboo in Sapphire and Bark.  The pink yarn is a bamboo blend that I can't remember or find the name of.  I will figure it out and post it later.  Sorry about that! The pink yarn is Natually Caron Country in Rose Bisque.)

Gauge:
4 sts = 2 cm or 5 sts = 1 inch

Stitches used:
st(s) – stitch(es)
ch – chain stitch
hdc – half double crochet
dc – double crochet
sc – single crochet
sl st - slip stitch
dc2tog - double crochet two together (not sure how to do it? video tute (not mine) here.)

Using color 1.
Sole:
Rnd 1: ch11, hdc in 3rd ch from hook, hdc in next 7 sts, 6 hdc in last ch, work on opposite side, hdc in next 7 sts, 5 hdc in last ch, join with sl st in 1st hdc.
Rnd 2: ch1, hdc in next 8 sts, 2 hdc in each of next 5 sts, hdc in next 8 sts, 2 hdc in each of next 5 sts, join with sl st in 1st hdc.
Rnd 3: ch1, hdc in next 8 sts, (2 hdc in 1 st, 1 hdc) 5 times, hdc in next 8 sts, (2 hdc in 1 st, 1 hdc) 5 times, join with sl st in 1st hdc.

Upper:
Rnd 4: ch 1, in back loop only, sc in next 4 sts, dc in next 7 sts, dc2tog 4 times across 8 sts, dc in next 7 sts, sc in next 19 sts, using 2nd color yarn, join with sl st to 1st st.
Rnd 5: ch 1, working in both loops, sc in next 4 sts, dc in next 5 sts, dc2tog 4 times across 8 sts, dc in next 5 sts, sc in next 19 sts, join with sl st to 1st st.
Rnd 6: ch 1, sc in next 4 sts, dc in next 3 sts, dc2tog 4 times across 8 sts, sc in next 19 sts, join with sl st to 1st st.

Cuff:
Rnd 7: ch 3, (skip 1 st, dc in next st, ch 1) repeat around, join last ch 1 to 2nd ch in the ch 3. (fish net st)

Rnd 8: ch 2, 2 dc in ea sp, join with sl st to 1st st.
Rnd 9: ch 2, dc in ea st around, join with sl st to 1st st.
Rnd 10: ch 2, dc in ea st around, join with sl st to 1st st.
Rnd 11: ch 2, dc in ea st around, join with sl st to 1st st.
Rnd 12: ch 2, dc in ea st around, join with sl st to 1st st.
Rnd 13: ch 2, dc in ea st around, join with sl st to 1st st.
Rnd 14: ch 2, dc in ea st around, join with sl st to 1st st.  If you want to make the top ruffley, continue with next line, if not, tie off and weave in ends.

For Ruffled Edge:
Rnd 15: (ch 3, insert hook into 2nd ch from hook, sc 1, sc into next st) repeat around.  Tie off and weave in ends.

Tie:
Make a chain 80 sts long,weave in to fish net st sps, then attach poms to ends. (if desired.)
OR
Use a ribbon.

Repeat the process for the second moccasin and this is what you'll end up with!! :)

 

Hope you guys have fun!!  If you guys do make any of these PLEASE, PLEASE, PRETTY PLEASE send me a link or a picture so that I can see them!! :)

Also, I prolly don't need to say this, but, this pattern is for personal use only, please don't sell them.  If you want to share the pattern with others, feel free, just direct them to my site to get it!  Thanks all! :)

I'll be linking to the parties on the side bar! :)

Just want to let you know...

The pattern is coming guys!  Give me just a bit longer.  I have a very cranky pants, teething little mister that is majorly slowing things down today. :/

It'll be up soon!  I promise!

Little Lyric's Gift Set

So, I know I promised to post this earlier, but, I forgot that we had a "Souper" Bowl party to attend, for which I had to make soup.   Which took a good portion of my afternoon, then there was the party, and now it's 1am and I'm FINALLY writing this.  lol.  O-well, better late then never right?  For those interested I made Itailian Wedding Soup and it was awesome. :)

Anyway, you guys wanted to hear about the gift set right?!

Here it is!  I'm calling it the Little Lyric Set.  I had such a wonderful time designing this set!  (Like the booties?!  I'll be sharing my pattern (for which I used the bottoms of these booties) on this week's Tute {Yourself} Tuesday, so don't forget to stop by, get the pattern and link up!)

The blanket is what I call a "car seat blanket" because it is perfectly sized for a carseat!  No more blankets hanging out and ending up on the ground!!  Woohoo!!!!!  (I seriously HATE when Eme's blankets end up half on the ground because they are too big.  So, this is the perfect solution.)

Then I made a little pink monkey hat to match the blanket so that Lyric can hit the town in style!

I think the flower is a fun little detail. :)

The jewled center of the flower is really a button that matches the one on the chin strap.



Gotta love a little bling on a baby! :)

Next up is the dress that I totally teased you all with last night.  I la-la-LOVE it!!!!

I was seriously dying when I finished it!!  Remember the little white dress that I showed you a few weeks ago?  That was the first draft of this dress.

I shortened the sleeves up, elasticized the neck line and gathered the sleeve and hem lines to make them poofy.  Poofy anything is super fabulous on baby girls, don't you think?! :)

To round the gift out, I made her these sweet little booties.  (Which I realize I showed you just a few days ago...)

Based on your sweet, sweet comments, I decided to keep the polka dots instead of switching to the poms.  Thanks for your help on that! :)

I'll leave you with one last parting shot of the whole gift.  :)

What do you guys think?

Oh!  Before I go, have you guys heard about "One Month to Win It"?  It's a new crafting competion that is being hosted by several different blogs.  The auditions for month one start Wednesday!  I'm planning on entering, but I'm not sure which project to enter...  The two projects I'm deciding between are this post's  Little Lyric Gift Set and Little Elijah's Gift Set.  Which set do you guys like better?

PLEASE, PLEASE help me decide!!!!  Pretty, pretty, pretty please!!!!

**Edit**
Ok guys!  Apparently THIS is the one to enter so, I have!!!  Fingers crossed and wish me luck!!!!!






And, as usual, I'll be linking to the awesome linkies on my side bar. :)

Seeking Advice...

About sewing machines.

I've kinda-sorta mentioned this before, but I HATE my sewing machine.  I swear that I spend at least as much time fighting with it as I do sewing with it.  It's a cheap-o bottom of the line Singer that was awesome when I got it 3 1/2 years ago.  Mostly because it was a sewing machine and for the two or three (easy) projects I had time to tackle a year, it did what I needed it to.  Which was: make it so that I didn't have to hand sew the whole thing.

Fast forward to now, where I sew just about every day, it's causing a blood pressure raising amount problems.  I'm so tired of fighting tension, needles, fabric, TENSION.  ARG!

I've been saving up to get a serger, because, let's be honest, I need one of those too.

So here's where the advice seeking comes in:  Do I get a new and MUCH better sewing machine first or the serger??

The hubster thinks I should get the serger because I already have a sewing machine so getting a new one can wait.

I'm starting to think that I will go crazy if I have to keep fighting the darn thing.

So, my sewing friends, what to do?

Any machine recommendations will also be VERY welcomed.

I seriously appreciate any insight you have.

Thanks all!

This is what happens when I try to blog when Eme's awake... aka: It seems I have a food thief.

Someone is getting bigger and that means that someone can reach things that he once couldn't...  Like the last few candy canes from TOP of Daddy's desk.

Sorry that some of these are blurry.  My camera just isn't fast enough to catch my little man in action (obviously I need a DSLR. lol.) but, I still thought the pictures were cute and decided to include them regardless of the blur factor.  Some of them, ok, one  of them actually looks really cool because it is blurry.  Well, I think it looks cool, but it's possible I'm biased.



I think this one is hysterical.

I wish this one had turned out.  Boo.  This is when he realize he was 'caught'.  haha.

This is the one I think looks cool regardless of the blur factor.  haha!  Maybe I'm crazy?!  Maybe not?

Now, to prove I'm not a completely horrible mother, he also swiped some sweet potatoes from a too low fruit/vegetable basket.

Umm. Yum?

He also had a good time with my apples.  He's done this a few times.  I need to get a hanging basket so that he can't keep doing this.  Not that I'm opposed to his eating apples, I'm just opposed to him dropping 3 or 4 apples on the ground before choosing which one he's going to take a few randomly placed bites from.  I hate bruised apples and at this point, I'm not sure that I have any unbruised apples left. :(

I {heart} this one!

O-well.  At least he's cute.

This next one is another new trick of his...  The food thief is cute and silly (and sometimes sticky.)  But this climbing monkey scared the pants off me!   (But apparently not enough to take him down before taking a picture...)  I assure you that this chair has since been moved to a place that he can no longer climb on!

Doesn't he look SUPER proud of himself??  Oy.

I think there is a saying...  "When the cat's asleep the mice will play." 

Fitting?  Prolly.  {sigh.}

I think I need to adopt this mantra: "When the BABY'S asleep THEN Mommy can play {aka: blog.}"