(DIY) Chicken Halloween Costume

Growing up, I always looked forward to Halloween. The excitement, the candy, and, most importantly, the costume. As I got older, some of my reasons for loving the holiday changed, but the costume always topped the list. My mom and I started planning weeks in advance so we would have time to gather the pieces and get my costume put together. That's right- I am one of the shrinking number of people who makes their own costumes. I always have, and I always will. Something about store bought costumes just seems wrong. Seems cheap. Seems lazy. Not to mention, I have never seen a store bought costume win ANY costume contests. As I got older and all of my friends started shelling out $40+ for slutty nurse costumes, I stuck by my guns and creativity, and my costumes always dominated! 

I just can't ever justify spending money on a crappy outfit that'll be lucky to make it through trick-or-treating, let alone survive to be passed down to younger siblings for years and years. Some people think store bought costumes are easier. What with class parties, trick-or-treaters, sports, and everything else October holds, how do you find time to MAKE a Halloween costume?! Homemade costumes do not- I repeat- DO NOT have to be complicated. Throw on an oversized white Oxford and some Ray Bans? Tom Cruise from "Risky Business." Striped shirt, jeans, and camera around your neck? Where's Waldo. 

I have always had a blast picking and putting together my Halloween costumes with my mom, but now that I have a daughter of my own, I get to make her costumes and continue the tradition. I look forward to years of making costumes for my baby girl, and I hope she enjoys it as much as I do. This year would be Izzy's first real Halloween- the first year she would be going trick-or-treating, that is. I have been keeping my eye out for ideas on Pinterest for months, and when I saw this picture, I knew I had found it. I had found Izzy's Halloween costume for 2012. 

Photo by Martha Stewart

Now, while this looks on the surface to be a time consuming, complicated costume, by planning ahead (and spreading out the work over a few days) this really is a very manageable look. I simply followed the tutorial on Martha's website, and it took me about six hours or less (over three days, with most of the time being spent stitching the feather boas on the onesie). I just used a onesie (as opposed to the leotards used in Martha's tutorial), and I only used one. I felt she was plenty fluffy without the extra stuffing. I liked the onesie more because, since I left it unsnapped, it gave her a little "tail," which was adorable : ) I couldn't find a white pilot's cap, so I just used a simple white crocheted hat instead, and it worked great. I also ended up buying white leggings and dying them yellow with powder Rit dye in Golden Yellow, because I couldn't find any yellow ones. Other than that, the tutorial is very straightforward, and when you're done... just look at what you get:

I mean, come on people- does it get any cuter than that?! I can't even tell you how many "Ooooo's" and "Awwwww's" we got as we went door-to-door. I literally teared up on multiple occasions that evening. Now, while there wasn't a costume contest, I hold that Izzy won. I don't think I saw more than 5 other homemade costumes the entire time we were out.

On the feet: While I'm SO glad I made them for pictures, Izzy did have a somewhat difficult time walking in them, so we ended up pulling them off and just having her wear her shoes that were underneath. If I had spent a little more time on them I might have been able to position them a little better, but I was crunched for time. Oh well. One last look at my little peep...

I may be biased, but- DANG! That is one cute little kid and, most importantly? She put up with the costume like a pro. I think she and I have many, many happy years of costume making ahead of us, and I can't wait : )

(DIY) Hair Bow Wreath

Please ignore the crappy photo quality- I took these at night with my iPhone...

Izzy had 10 or so hair bows before she was even born. She now has right around 47,823, give or take a few. I had always planned on making some kind of holder for them, but she's 18 months old, and it still hadn't happened. Last night, I decided that enough was enough! No more excuses- Izzy's NEEDS a hair bow holder! The string for the blinds that they were previously residing on just didn't cut it.

I wandered around Pinterest for awhile until it finally hit me- a wreath! I would just get a wreath, wrap it loosely with fabric strips, then clip the bows onto said fabric. Storage and display all in one! Great idea, but that would have required me to wait until morning to go to the store. Not going to happen. I started looking through the house for some more inspiration, and I found it- a wire coat hanger! I pulled that sucker apart and bent it into a round-ish shape. I hammered a nail in the wall, hung it up, and started clipping bows on it.

Organized chaos : )

And wouldn't you know- it was adorable (and not to mention FREE)! Problem solved- hair bows have a cute new home, and Izzy's wall has some more decor. Perfect! I'm so glad that I finally decided to take care of this. The bows do pop off fairly easily, and it is pretty packed. I may get an actual wreath and carry out my original plan of action. I feel like the bows would stay on better if they were clipped to the fabric strips, and it would allow for more bows. However, for now- this definitely works. Now to tackle the other 5,000,000 projects on my list...

~Annie

  

(DIY) Ribbon Embellished Towel and Towel Cake (Semi-Tutorial)

Our neighbor's daughter graduated from high school in May (yes, I know, this post is WAY over due). While I was thinking about what to get her, I started thinking back to my own high school graduation. The majority of the gifts I received were cash or checks. Don't get me wrong- that was great, but who remembers money? The gifts that stuck out in my mind were actual objects: towels, dishes, jewelry, etc.

So, I decided I would get her towels. I figured white was the best choice since it can be bleached, but how boring is that?! After talking to her mom about the colors and patterns she'd chosen for her dorm room, I decided to spice them up with some ribbon: purple and zebra print grosgrain, to be exact. I purchased the bath towels, hand towels, and washcloths from Walmart, and I got the ribbon online. I was good to go!

First, I cut the ribbon to the width of the towel plus 2", then singed the ends with a candle flame to prevent fraying. Next, I folded one end of the purple ribbon over about an inch, and placed it on the band on the towel. I started out pinning the ribbon down, but as I went on, I found it was easier to just hold the ribbon in place. I sewed along the edge of the ribbon, first purple, then zebra on top. I used a zig zag stitch, with the length set about two clicks away from 0, so it would look more like embroidery. I used a fairly wide stitch, but you can play with it to decide what width you prefer. This type of stitch takes longer since it's so compact, and it uses A LOT of thread- I went trough about 1,300 yards doing 4 hand towels and 4 bath towels (I didn't embellish the washcloths)!

Finished product: four bath towels and four hand towels expertly modestly embellished 

After a lot of trial and error, many tangled knots, and lots of cursing frustration, I finally finished the project! With the exception of the first hand towel, I was super happy with how they came out. They weren't perfect, but considering I had just started sewing in December, I was pretty darn proud of myself.

Now came the time to wrap this glorious present of mine. Sure I could just throw them in a bag with some tissue paper, but where's the fun in that?! I went to Walmart and picked up a white laundry basket ($2), a ceramic zebra print bath set ($2.50 for a toothbrush holder, soap dish, and tumbler!!!), a purple loofah ($1), and a white mesh laundry bag ($1). Then I set to work making a jumbo sized towel cake the same way that I made this one for my brother's and sister-in-law's wedding, except this time I rolled all of the towels in each tier up together (one big roll per level). I used a 1/2" dowel in the center to stabilize the towels, and wrapped each level with cotton string before wrapping with purple satin ribbon. I taped the ceramic pieces onto 1/4" dowels and placed them onto the "cake." Finally, I put the towels in the baskets, put the basket into the mesh bag, and tied it shut with the loofah "bow."

The completed (and completely adorable) towel cake

Not to toot my own horn, but toot-freakin'-toot! I was so thrilled with how adorable this project turned out to be, that I was literally sad that I had to give it away! But I did, and Rachel loved her towels, and she's now off to school putting them to use! While this was time consuming, I would definitely do this again. For around $50, I was able to give Rachel a one-of-a-kind gift that suited her perfectly, and that (I hope) she'll remember for years!

Let me know if you have any questions about this, and I hope that this will inspire you to make some personalized gifts in the future!

~Annie

Photocopier Art

I spent all morning getting the house ready so we can head to Arkansas, but somehow, I got done early and was just sitting around. I was about to go crazy waiting on Ben so I decided Izzy and I were going to do a project. It needed to be quick, in case Ben came home so we could just be done with it. It needed to be mess-free, because I've spent the last few days cleaning and can't bear to do any more. So I landed on a Pinterest find: Photocopier Art! I took Izzy into the office, stood her on the scanner glass, and hit copy. I was giddy with excitement when the first one came out. This is one of my favorite Pinterest finds yet.

*Note: Be gentle- the scanner plate is GLASS, so it could break. You may want to support your child's weight or have them sit down and set their feet on the scanner*

I messed around a bit to see what I liked, and honestly, I like them all. If you close the lid, you get a black background (aka- LOTS of ink). The lid open provides a white background. I think I like these a little more, especially since they use less ink. We only did black and white, but color would probably be neat too.

I will definitely be doing this more in the future. I think it would be cute to get Ben in on it too. You could also do this at Staples or a similar store. Black and white copies are usually 5 cents- can't beat that! We just printed on regular copy paper, but you could easily do it on photo paper and frame it for cheap wall art. I would recommend doing the originals on copy paper, then simply copying them onto the photo paper so you get your favorites on photo paper without wasting any. So happy with how they came out. To me, they are reminiscent of sonogram pictures.

Home Projects Part 3: Guest Room

While it's nowhere near being done, I have completed a few little projects in the guest room. First I snagged the comforter set (comforter, 2 throw pillows, 1 roll pillow, 2 shams, and a bed skirt) for just $20! Talk about bargain shopping. Not the softest, or best pattern in the world, but considering how often it gets used and how cheap it was, I am totally okay with it.

Next, I moved our desk into the closet. I can't even explain how thrilled I was when I figured out that it would fit. We rarely have guests, and when we do, they rarely require the entire closet to store their belongings. Having the desk in there is awesome. I can just pull the curtain shut, and whatever project I was sewing or working on goes away- it's great.

My most recent guest room project was a little display for the dresser. I use the dresser to hold all of my craft supplies and tools, and I use the top for work space when I'm working on a project. However, I figured that when we do have guests, we should have something attractive for them to look at. With this in mind, I made a display. I got a book from Dollar Tree, drew half of a vase shape and cut it out. I glued the ends together, and there you have it- a book "vase." If I did it again, I would use an old book. My new one was a little stiff and difficult to get it to fan out nicely. Oh well- live and learn. Next, I cleaned an old red wine bottle. Done. Then, I took a clean white wine bottle, filled it with green paint, and swirled it around until it was covered. Guest room dresser display- done.

I still need to fill up some wall space, and that will be my first task when we get back next fall. I'm thinking of just finding a nice branch to hang on the wall above the bed. Maybe spray paint it, maybe not. For the other wall, I think I'm going to put up framed dried leaves. Simple, pretty, goes with the theme. I'm also planning on finding two cheap matching lamps to go in the master bedroom, one for each bedside table. Then I will move my lamp in here, maybe paint it or otherwise dress it up. It's not much, but I think by next fall, it will be a great little guest room.

*UPDATE 4/17/13*

This update is months overdue, but I made quite a few changes to our guest room last fall. I'll just post pictures with a short explanation, and if you have any questions, you can comment or e-mail me.

My in-laws' curly willow tree died so I was lucky enough to score those branches for free! I found the vase at Marshall's in Dallas while vacationing with my parents last summer. I just hot glued some burlap to the top and called it good!

I wanted something big and cheap to cover the wall above the bed, so I relied on my trusty toilet paper rolls again. I used them in our bedroom too, but with a more organic, random look. I like the more geometric style of this one, too. I used the tutorial from The How-To Gal.

This was a pretty simple update. I added a little green bottle the the display, then some paper flowers to one of the vases. I took another branch (from the curly willow tree) and stuck it behind the dresser, then put some magazines on a tray that we received as a gift a couple years back.

My little craft closet. I had Ben put nails along the frame of the magnetic board to hold my thread and bobbins. I then spray painted it and the wooden shelf yellow. Next, I used cup hooks to hang dowel rods in order to hold my tulle ribbon and Kraft paper (which I need to get more of!). I like having a place for everything, and these small changes have helped to accomplish that!

Last, but certainly not least, I put up this window. I have an amazing window hook-up where I was able to score this beauty for FREE!!! I sprayed it with Krylon's Looking Glass Spray (I bought it at Hobby Lobby with the 40% off coupon, so it ended up being a little over $7 for the can) following this tutorial from Atta Girl Says. I could not love this window any more, especially since the only cost was for the spray paint!

So that's it! I think I am finally done decorating the guest room. I think I've done a pretty good job with the small space, especially considering my small budget!

Home Projects Part 2: Our Bedroom

When I began decorating Ben's and my bedroom, I wanted a sort of masculine meets feminine, geometric meets organic feel. Here's what we ended up with:

For starters, we received our DKNY Chrysanthemum quilt as a wedding present. It's a floral print, but it's monotone, so it's very understated. Then we picked up some striped Target Home sheets. They were like these, but the colors are more greys and creams. Feminine floral quilt, masculine striped sheets. So far so good. Next came the wall decorations. I ordered some candle sconces from Bed, Bath, and Beyond ($13.00 for the pair!!!). They no longer carry them, but you can find candle sconces for very little just about anywhere. Next, I made the leafy wall decoration using... wait for it... toilet paper tubes! Just cut them into small circles, glue them, hold it together with clothespins until dry, them spray paint it! Awesome, free DIY.

The curtains ($10 each), lamp ($12), and flower pillow ($6) were all from Magic Mart. Lastly, I hung up some of Ben's pictures (after spray painting all of the frames black for a uniform look), and voila! My vision is achieved! Organic, but geometric. Girly, yet manly. Perfect for a master bedroom. 

Notice my favorite decoration made an appearance. I love falling asleep and waking up here : )

Home Projects Part 1: Izzy's Room

I figured it's about time that I start blogging about the projects that I've completed around the house. Most of them were simple decorating projects, and all of them were very inexpensive. One of the first rooms I wanted to get decorated after moving in was Izzy's room. I just figured she would appreciate things to look at on the walls more than anyone else in the house! For starters, we got Izzy's crib and changing table are from Pottery Barn Kids. We already had the baskets, but they were from Walmart. The bedding Glenna Jean's "Maya" bedding from Baby Super Mall.

My first project was to make some wall panels that mimic canvas. I had saved some foam from Izzy's crib packaging for just this type of project! I simply cut it down to size with a knife, sanded the edges, and covered it with fabric. I used fat quarters from Walmart, which are $1 a piece, and I used two. Then, I used hot glue to stick buttons and flowers to them. The smallest piece I wrapped with yarn. So for less than $5, I made some wall art! One of them is a little wonky, and I plan on redoing it at some point... it just hasn't happened yet. Overall, I'm happy with how they turned out!

My next task was to refinish Izzy's name letters, and make a "mobile." When I bought Izzy's name letters, I had envisioned her room being black, white, and Tiffany blue, therefore I purchased black and white letters. Once we moved here, however, my plans changed (mainly due to the fact that I couldn't find crib bedding in that scheme for less than $500!). We decided to go with sunflowers, so the color scheme was creme, brown, and golden yellow. Lovely : )

But I still had these black and white letters! What was a girl to do... refinish them, of course! For the "I," I simply painted the frame with a coat of satin brown spray paint. The first "Z," I Mod Podged some silver zebra cardstock to it, and hot glued some golden yellow ribbon the the edge. The second "Z" also got a coat of satin brown spray paint. Finally, I wrapped the"Y" in cream yarn. So happy with the "new" color coordinating letters.

As you can see from this picture, I also made the "mobile" up in the corner. This was an ongoing project. I made two of them by wrapping yarn dipped in glue around balloons, letting it dry, then popping said balloons. The big yellow one is a tissue paper pom pom (there are tutorials for these EVERYWHERE). The cream one is yarn wrapped around a styrofoam ball. The silver one is four circles of card stock, folded in half, and glued together. I made two yarn pom poms (one cream and one golden yellow). 

The flower is made from circles of toilet paper tubes glues together and spray painted brown. Finally, the brown sphere is strips of card stock secured with brads, then spread out. I secured them to the ceiling by screwing white hooks to the ceiling, then tying them up with fishing line. I am thrilled with how it turned out, and I highly recommend making them. You can easily customize it with whatever objects you want.

   

Lastly, Izzy needed some shelves. I ordered some white wall shelves from Bed, Bath, and Beyond (they no longer carry them) for about $15 for the pair. I lightly sanded them, then hit them with some of my trusty satin brown spray paint. Once I got them hung, they now hold baby albums and various other little trinkets she has gotten along the way. I love the little bit of storage they provide, as well as the little bit of decoration they add to the wall.

  

Overall, I love how Izzy's room looks. It has just enough decoration without being overwhelming, and it's all out of her reach! Plus, I really think the colors we chose will be able to grow with her. So happy to finally be making this rental feel like home : )

Teeth Whitening Sneak Attack

As I was getting ready this morning, I noticed that my teeth were looking a bit... dingy. With graduations and weddings coming up this summer, I just can't have that. I didn't want to run out and drop $15+ on store bought treatments, so I started looking around online. I found a great article on ehow.com that uses two products you probably already have, and if not, you can get them for less than $5: hydrogen peroxide and baking soda. My normal toothpaste contains hydrogen peroxide and baking soda, so I figured that was a good place to start.

I didn't take any before pictures, but here is an after. I am super pleased with the results!

Ingredients and Materials

• hydrogen peroxide 
• baking soda
• toothbrush
• water
• Q-tips

First, I simply put a few drops of hydrogen peroxide on my toothbrush and brushed like normal for about a minute, brushing all surfaces, including my tongue. Make sure you don't swallow any of the hydrogen peroxide. When I was done, I rinsed my mouth out with water.

Next, I put some more hydrogen peroxide on my toothbrush, then sprinkled some baking soda on top. Like before, I brushed like normal for about a minute, then rinsed my mouth out. After brushing with peroxide and baking soda, I dried my front six teeth off. Then, I put a few drops of hydrogen peroxide on a Q-tip and wiped it over my dried teeth. After about a minute, I mixed equal parts hydrogen peroxide and water and swished it around my mouth for 30 seconds (again, make sure not to swallow any).

After spitting this out, I brushed with my normal toothpaste just to make my breath minty fresh : ) After doing all of this just one time, I noticed that my teeth were whiter. I plan on doing this whole routine about once a week, but I'm going to put peroxide on my teeth with a Q-tip for 30 seconds before I brush once a day. So far, I haven't noticed any tooth sensitivity. My gums did feel a little raw right after, but that went away within 20 or 30 minutes. Gotta love simple remedies that yield great results! I hope that these work for you!

Homemade Irish Nachos Recipe

In high school, I worked at an Irish pub in Topeka that made the BEST Irish nachos I've ever had. Unfortunately, the restaurant has since closed and I am without my Irish nacho supplier. Luckily, I've found a recipe that has filled the void left by these nachos. Cue Rachel Ray's Irish Nacho Recipe. We pretty much made it according to her instructions, but instead of waffle fries, be made our own potato chips by thinly slicing potatoes then frying them in canola oil. We decided that this wasn't really worth the effort, so next time I think we'll just go the store-bought kettle chips route. Then I just got corned beef thickly sliced from our grocery store, cut it into cubes, and warmed it in olive oil. I might get it cut thinly next time. I left out the cabbage and onions (as Ben is morally opposed to vegetables). We just layered chips, corned beef, and cheese sauce. I added jalapenos, tomatoes, and sour cream. Ben just used Mrs. Renfro's Raspberry Chipotle Salsa. I was so thrilled with how they turned out. They were absolutely delicious, and we will definitely be making them again!

Photo courtesy of Rachel Ray

Enjoy!

~Annie

My New Best Friend: Coconut Oil

Are you tired of hearing me talk about how we're going natural? If so, I apologize. If not, well you're in luck, my friend!

Photo from Walmart.com

I've read article after article on it, listened to my sister-in-law talk about it, and I am FINALLY convinced that coconut oil is pretty much the single greatest substance in the world. Jenna Marbles' blog post about it is hysterical. I picked up a jar of virgin, unrefined coconut oil today. I've eaten it on a couple of things, and I put it on Izzy's bottom because she has one of the worst diaper rashes I've ever seen. So far I like it, but I'll let you know more later. I think I'll be picking up a jar of refined coconut oil to use in more foods, so I'm looking forward to that. That's my product rant for the day!

~Annie

The Natural Journey Continues

As I said before, I have begun dabbling in living a more natural life. Like many people I know, I have a nasty addiction to Clorox wipes. They are very convenient and leave my bathroom squeaky clean. They also, however, stink. They leave my bathroom smelling like harsh bleach for days. In an effort to live more organically, I am trying to kick my Clorox wipe habit. I have begun using wipes like those listed on "One Good Thing" by Jillee. While you could use old t-shirts like Jillee, I just went out and bought a pack of 18 white washcloths for $4 from Walmart. I left out the castile soap because I couldn't find any here in Grundy. However, later I found out from Lisa Bronner's blog that mixing castile soap and vinegar is a no-no (as is mixing vinegar and bleach, so don't go adding a little bit to your "Clorox" wipes thinking it will make it even better. It will just make toxic chlorine gas)! I've used them a couple times to clean the bathroom and so far they seem to be working pretty well!

My "Clorox" Wipes. I kept an old Clorox wipe container and pulled the flaps out so I could pull the washcloths through.

 I have since found out that using lemon juice limits the shelf life of these wipes to 3-4 weeks as it will go rancid. You could leave it out or use essential oils instead. Once my bottle of Clorox spray cleaner runs out, I'm going to make this bleach alternative from Frugally Sustainable, and I'll let you know how it goes! Until then, cheers!

~Annie

Going the Natural Route

After seeing various articles floating around talking about living naturally, I finally started looking into it. I have to say, I was pretty impressed! While I'm not ready to throw out the bleach and stop washing my hair, I am willing to give a couple ideas a try, starting with making my own laundry detergent! I used the recipe from Being Creative to Keep my Sanity. I highly, I repeat, HIGHLY recommend that you use a food processor to grate the soap or it takes for-ev-er! Also, don't try to stir that stuff with a spoon. Just dig your hands in there and mix it up. I used it for a couple of loads of laundry the other day, and so far I'm pretty impressed. I didn't take many pictures, but here are a couple of the end result:

The completed mixture. I didn't bother getting a lid for my 5-gallon bucket because you have to pay for it and if you line your bucket with a trash bag, you can just tie the bag up until you need to get out more!

I got a little jar from Walmart, and a coffee scoop because it's the perfect size for one load of laundry. So that's it. Super easy, and extremely cheap! So happy I decided to give this a try!

~Annie

(DIY) Lace Ruffle Petti Romper Tutorial

As promised, I've completed Izzy's petti romper and I can't wait to share it! I've seen these everywhere for portraits lately, and I couldn't be happier with how it turned out. For starters, head over to Frame Worthy Shot for the full tutorial that I followed. Then, look below for my small alterations to her tutorial.

Materials

-lace (I used about 10 or so yards of 1 1/2" flat [non-elastic] lace. I wouldn't go any larger than 1 1/2" wide ribbon, but I wouldn't go smaller than 1")

-coordinating satin lining (I ordered a yard, but it only takes about half)

-elastic thread on a bobbin

-thread that matches your lace, and matching bobbin

-3/4" elastic

1) I cut my lining into a rectangle. Mine was 30"x15"for my 11 month old, but she's on the smaller side

2) Once I had my rectangle, I sewed a 1/4" hem on the bottom of the romper, and a 1" hem at the top to accommodate the elastic.

3) Next, start sewing that lace on! I ordered my lace online from Lace Heaven. They have a huge selection and it is very reasonable. I started at the bottom and began sewing the lace onto the satin lining using the elastic thread on the bobbin. Turn your tension all the way to up (to "0" on my machine). If you've never used elastic thread, you might want to practice on some spare fabric just to get a feel for it. You also may want to draw a guide line on your satin before sewing on each layer of lace. Work your way up the romper, sewing the lace on in horizontal rows, making sure to reverse stitch at the beginning and end of each row to secure the elastic thread.

4) When all your lace is sewn on, fold the scrunchy rectangle so that the lace is on the inside. Put your regular thread in the bobbin, and stitch the resulting tube shut with about a 1/2" seam allowance. Don't sew the top hem shut so you can still put your elastic in. You may want a bigger seam allowance if you need to make it smaller. You can just cut off the excess.

5) Once you have your lovely ruffled tube, pull the elastic through the top so it fits your little one and stitch the ends together. Once you have that done, stitch your tube the rest of the way shut.

6) Finally, turn your romper right side out, and, using a straight stitch, sew about a 1/2" seam in the center on the bottom to create little leg holes. You really don't need much of a seam unless you want the "shorts" part longer.

And now for the best part- try it on your baby! I got the pleasure of seeing this on Izzy at around 4 in the morning the other day when she decided to wake up from 3 until 7:30 am. Although I haven't tried making one with elastic lace like Frame Worthy Shot did, I think using regular lace with elastic thread in the bobbin is easier because you don't have stretch the lace out as you sew, but do whatever seems easier for you! So excited for Izzy's pictures so I can see her posing in all of the cute outfits I have for her!

~Annie

(DIY) Lace Ruffle Diaper Cover Tutorial

I've been getting outfits together for Izzy's one year pictures coming up in March. The colors were inspired by an outfit I found at K-Mart: flutter sleeve eyelet dress, girl's cardigan sweater, and girl's floral leggings, in shark (all Route 66 from K-Mart). Then, I started brainstorming for her other two outfits. I finally landed on a pink lace ruffle petti romper and a ruffled diaper cover for when she breaks into her smash cake. I will do a post about the romper later, but for now, I'll show you how I made the diaper cover. My in-laws got me a sewing machine for Christmas, and this was my first real project on it!!!

Materials:

-diaper cover (I just grabbed one out of Izzy's drawer, but you can make one yourself if you feel so inclined. Here is a tutorial from CraftGossip.com)

-lace trim (I used 3/4" seam binding)

-elastic thread, on a bobbin

-thread that matches your lace, as well as a matching bobbin

1) First, I ruffled the lace using a tutorial from CraftyMama. Super simple. The only change I made was that I sewed the elastic thread down the middle instead of on the edge.

2) Next, I switched out the elastic bobbin with the regular thread and sewed the lace ruffle onto the diaper cover. I did it in one continuous piece so the elastic wouldn't come out. Make sure you reverse stitch at the beginning and the end to secure the elastic thread. You may want to draw lines on the diaper cover to help you sew straight.

See? Simple! Now it's time to slip it on the little baby booty and "ooo" and "aww!" Can't wait to see her smash that cake in it!

~Annie

(DIY) Towel Cake Tutorial

For my brother's wedding in December, I didn't want to just buy them a present and stick it in a bag. Bor-ing! I decided to put my spin of the always popular diaper cake on my gift. I went to Bed, Bath, and Beyond and purchased various kitchen items that they had registered for, then I got to work!

Materials:

-dish towels

-dish cloths

-rubber bands (one for each towel)

-pie plate

-dowel rod or utensil that will fit inside your "cake" to stabilize it

-various utensils and items to decorate your "cake" with

-coordinating ribbon

-coordinating tulle

1) Once you have all your items, begin rolling the towels into tubes and secure with a rubber band.

2) When you have all your towels rolled up, begin arranging them on the pie plate. I used four dish towels on the first layer, and wrapped a rubber band around all four. Then I inserted one of the utensils into the center, but if you can't find a utensil that is tall enough or small enough to fit, a dowel rod would work, too. The next layer I used 3 dish cloths, arranged them around the utensil, and secured them with a rubber band.

3) The third layer was just one dish cloth. I set it on top and fixed the whole thing to make it pretty.

4) Next, I began wrapping my ribbon around each layer to cover the rubber bands. I used hot glue to secure the ribbon in the back

5) Then, I added the rest of my utensils to decorate it, and added a "B" monogram wine stopper to the top as a cake topper.

6) When I was done, I placed the card inside, wrapped the whole thing in matching tulle, tied it shut and attached a cute velvet curly ribbon. I love how it turned out! In fact, my aunt ended up using it as a decoration for the guestbook table at the bridal luncheon the day before the wedding!

I seriously lucked out that my brother and sister-in-law registered for towels that matched their wedding colors (black, white, and fuschia). This project would be great for weddings, showers, even graduation gifts. You could also do this with bath towels or other household linens. This gift is as fun to make and give as it is to receive!

Let me know if you have suggestions for other variations on this idea.

~Annie

(DIY) Recycled Book Planter Tutorial

My antique shopping proved successful once again! This time I found some old books for $4 a piece that I decided would look just lovely repurposed as a planter for my succulents. It was a fairly simple project. I just outlined where I wanted my plants to go and used a utility knife to cut the pages out little by little. This proved to be a little tricky as my book was VERY old and the pages crumbled and tore, but it still worked out fine! Once I had the pages cut out down to the back cover, I used a piece of a plastic trash bag and hot glued it to the first page under the cover. Next, I put a layer of small pebbles in the bottom to allow for drainage, then the dirt and my plants. Voile! Books reborn as a planter! If you have succulents, they just need to be sprayed with water from a spray bottle once a week. Couldn't get much easier! I set my planter on top of another book, but they would look great standing alone, too!

Happy crafting!

~Annie

(DIY) Recycled Window Message Board Tutorial

I have recently been obsessed with old windows... mainly because I found an auction house that will give them to me for free! Thanks to Miller Land and Auction I am now the proud owner of 4 beautiful, sturdy windows. The first one I made into a message board for my mom as a Christmas present. I don't have pictures of the process, but I can give you step-by-step instructions:

Materials

-old window

-paint stripper (if you want to remove the old paint)

-paint scraper

-sand paper or electric sander

-paint, stain, or varnish

-brush or sponge for applying paint, stain, or varnish

-caulk or silicon and caulk gun

-masking tape

-cork squares

-chalkboard paint

-metal for the magnet board (we used a cheap cookie sheet, but if you have some other magnetic scrap metal, go ahead and use that)

-scrapbook paper

-cardboard

-hanging hardware

1) First, find an old window. This really shouldn't be too difficult to do. Like I said, I found mine at an auction company, but you can also look at thrift and antique stores, estate sales, garage sales, even on the curb. Just look around, but make sure the one you find is fairly sturdy. 

2) Wipe the window down with a rag and warm soapy water. If you don't want to use the paint that is on the window, use paint stripper and a scraper to remove the old paint, according to package instructions. Once the paint is removed, wipe it down with mineral spirits to remove remaining paint stripper. At this time, also scrape off any old caulk that may be on the backside of the window if it is in poor shape. 

*NOTE: The paint used on the window may very likely contain lead, so make sure you do this away from children and pets, and dispose of the scrapings carefully*

3) Once the window is COMPLETELY dry, sand it. You can either do this by hand with sand paper or you can use an electric sander. I did it by hand, but only because we don't have an electric sander! 

*NOTE: Again, because of the lead paint, be sure to wear a mask and to do this step away from children and pets* 

5) Wipe the window down again. This time you want to do a very good job with it as you will be staining or painting it next. Again, I used warm soapy water and a clean cloth.

6) Now, decide whether you want to paint, stain, or just seal the window. I decided to use a clear varnish on my window, but you can do whatever makes you happy! Use masking tape to tape off the window panes, then paint or varnish away!

7) When the paint or stain is completely dry (check product instructions for drying times), peel the tape off, and it's time to re-caulk the windows to secure them. I used a clear silicon, but you can use anything that will work on glass and wood. 

8) Once the caulk is dry (again, check product instructions), clean the glass well with glass cleaner. Next,  cut your cork and metal down to size. Make sure you measure from the correct side of the glass. I attached my cork boards to the glass on the front side, so I measured the panes on the front. Once the cork was cut to size, I used the clear silicon to adhere it directly to the glass. The metal, however, I measured from the back because it was replacing a pane that had been broken out. We used tin snips to cut the metal, but a jigsaw would have been MUCH easier. Once we finally got the metal cut to size, we placed it in the back side of the window and used the metal clips inside the window to hold it down. Then, we siliconed it in place. 

9) Next, I taped off the window except for one pane so I could spray chalkboard paint on that pane. Then I cut scrapbook paper and cardboard to fit in two of the panes. One of them was a dry erase board, and the other I used for pictures. I taped the pictures directly to the paper, set it in the window (from the back), then set the card board behind it and taped it in place. 

10) Finally, add hanging hardware to the back, hang it up, and step back and check out your "new" message board!

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and it wasn't too difficult to understand! Let me know what you think!

~Annie

Welcome!

Welcome to my blog! I plan to blog about the things that occupy my time. I am a mom first and foremost. My daughter is almost 13 months old, and she keeps me very busy! In my free time I enjoy DIY projects, including crafts, upcycling items, and much more. I also love coming up with creative, easy, and, most of all, delicious ways to feed my family. I will also be blogging about us, as Ben works his way through law school, Izzy grows and develops, and I try to keep up with it all! I hope you enjoy our exploits as much as we do! Thanks so much for stopping by!