Crochet Boot Cuffs

Carly wanted new boots for Christmas and I knew right away I wanted to make her some pretty boot cuffs to go along with her boots.  I already had the leftover yarn that I wanted to use from another project last winter, so I found some patterns on Etsy (here:  https://www.etsy.com/listing/170653451/crochet-pattern-boot-cuff-simple-style?ref=shop_home_active_2), and made her a pair.  These were one of the only gifts I had time to make to gift to someone else this year after completing Etsy orders.  Luckily, they worked up quickly and I had them done in an hour.  Pretty cute, huh?!  The pattern was easy-to-follow, and the sellers were quick to respond to any questions I had. 

Carly's First Quilt!

In our church, we have a program for our young women, ages 12-18, called "Personal Progress."  If you aren't familiar, here is a link to view:  https://www.lds.org/youth/article/introduction-personal-progress?lang=eng.  It's a great thing to get young girls involved in.  Carly's first value completed was knowledge.  So she could move on to her very first 10 hour project!  She decided she wanted to do a baby quilt.

I already had some fabrics on hand...cause you know, I am rich and collect stuff I don't need.  Right?!  Not!  I just have a hard time passing up adorable fabric when I'm buying yarn or scrapbook paper.  I'm an intermediate seamstress myself...all self-taught.  So I do browse the fabrics at the craft store when I go.  Anyway, I had purchased in the past some Berenstain Bears patterns because my children adore those books.  Well, that is exactly what pattern that Carly was drawn to in my stash.  So we next decided on a pattern.

We decided to go with a tutorial I had pinned on Pinterest.  You can view that awesome step-by-step tutorial here:  http://christaquilts.com/2012/07/19/diy-quilts-1-the-jolly-jellyroll-quilt-supply-list/.  It's a great for those who need some guidance, like myself!  :)  We just altered it a touch to our skill set and tool set...and voila!  Carly has a brand new baby quilt. 

Carly spent hours (13, to be exact!) cutting, machine sewing blocks, and then strips together; ironing; pinning; more sewing; and then learning a blind stitch by hand to do the binding around the edges.  She really was a fast learner, and at the beginning of each step, I showed her what to do, and let her go from there.  She did amazing on it!

She plans to keep this quilt as a keepsake for her very first baby.  Since it's primary colors and Berenstain Bears, it can be for a baby boy or girl.  And it also has a school theme to it.  She said she would like to keep all of the Berenstain Bears books we have as she gets older and moves into having her own family, to go along with her new quilt.  I told her to go for it!  I'm happy that she's interested.  So stay tuned for future sewing by Carly. 

Carly Crochets!

Technically, these kinds of scarves aren't crocheting, but they involve a crochet hook, and the work up really fast.  Carly pretty much taught herself how to make these this past winter when we have been stuck inside for months with seemingly no end in sight.  I was so proud of her!  She looked up some tutorials on YouTube and picked the one that seemed to be the easiest instruction for her understanding and went with it.  She's made a few, and this one is for a friend for her birthday.  I am proud of my girl for following in my craft footsteps and developing her talent.  :)  Good job, Carly!!

Fall Craft Show

Hello!  The Holidays are here!  And I love FALL!  I have recently immersed myself into a few Christmas projects that I am planning to present as gifts this year.  I know, it seems early, but because my Etsy shop is full of orders, orders, and more orders right now, I am starting early and working a few minutes here and there when I get the chance. 

Last weekend, Carly and I were able to host a table at a craft show that was to benefit the local high school band.  They are raising money to go to D.C.  I was happy to be a part of helping them raise money.  But because things have been so hectic and busy lately, I didn't have a lot to present at my table.  I even re-used décor from Shelby's first birthday party as my "show" table! 

I decided to try and sell some hot pepper jelly that I made and canned a couple of months ago.  I love that stuff!  It's not as hot as it sounds, either.  I also displayed a birthday board sign like I sell on Etsy so I could take orders if someone wanted to get one.  I didn't sell any boards, but I did sell some jars of jelly.  However on Etsy, while I was working the craft show, I did manage to gain a couple of orders.  So, all in all, it wasn't a total waste of my time.  And the best thing was getting to spend a few hours with my Carbie Barbie.

Thanks for looking!

AFTER....the Girls' Room

Since the new year rolled over, and we were painting the upstairs hall and stairwell on New Year's Eve to freshen up the place, we had to go to the paint store a few times. While there, I had hinted to the girls I might be doing their room soon, so I had them each pick a color they liked. Carly picked this soft lime green, and Jayna picked the hot pink. Brent and I decided to combine the colors and give them each their "own" walls and sides of the room.

So that's exactly what we did...we got a gallon of each color, and started painting last Monday. Well, I "cut in" around the trim earlier this week to prepare for Brent's Friday off from work -- when he would go over the whole walls with a roller. After I cut in the girls' room, I decided to look for comforters and such. At the time I went to Target, they only had one hot pink comforter with ruffles...which I decided looked "tween" enough for Carly, yet still frilly for a little girl. They only had one, though. But being crafty and not a brand-new seamstress, I decided I would make Jayna a matching one in the lime green color. So it went...and I also re-covered the little stool that goes with Carly's vanity in matching colors.

A lot of the little things we now have on the walls (the green tree; the pincushion wall hanging; the "C" and "J" letters on the shelves, and so forth) I bought at Hobby Lobby all 50% off on sale. The quote "Happy Girls are the Prettiest" is one I found on Pinterest...quoted from Audrey Hepburn. The doily banners at the end of their beds I made...also an idea from Pinterest. Some of the other things we already had and I recycled...the small white chest of drawers I altered with some adhesive fabric I found in the scrapbook paper section at JoAnn's. The purple curtains over the closet and the hot pink ones over the window were formerly in their room already and so I just put those back up.

I love the contrast between the colors and each girl has her own "print" on the walls. Carly loved it! Jayna, too! They both kept hugging us and telling us "thank you." We told Carly that is part of her birthday gift...the other part being that we'll host a small party for her on her birthday in February. But the room makeover and all the new things are her birthday presents from us. So, what do you think?!?! :) Thanks for looking! PS - Last thing up...crocheting a pretty rug to place between their beds on the floor from left over scrap fabric from Jayna's comforter, among other remnants I have laying around in the same colors......

BEFORE...The Girls' Room

I don't know what it is (maybe the lull of holidays from January to April), but at the first of every new year, I feel the need to re-decorate! I have to buy new things for the home (with funds from Christmas cash and gift cards received), rearrange furniture, paint,...whatever until I feel things are fresh and clean and inspiring again for a few months.

Well, I decided this January that Carly's room needed updated. Here's the thing: we have four bedrooms. One is for Brent and me; one for Adam; one for Carly and Jayna together; and one for "my craft room." My "craft room" is a space I gave to myself after living here for years, newly returned from across the country (far away from family), when I had a spare bedroom that was never used. Because even though my family wanted to complain that we lived in California and they lived in West Virginia for a few years, they still never came to see us much after we moved back. So I decided that that would be my space to leave things out -- projects I am working on -- and not have to worry about it with little kids running around the house. And at the time, we didn't have Jayna yet, that I can remember.....

So the reasons I picked Carly's room to update first this year are: 1. Her room was the first we ever painted and redecorated when we moved into this house 6 years ago; and 2. She does not like sharing a room with her little sister. Well, I thought maybe if I updated her room to a "tweeny" looking room, she would be more happy about sharing her room...because let's face it...she's nine, almost 10 years old, and has no need for her own room yet. And despite that, I have never had my own room my entire life...and I think she'll live to be okay. :)

When we decorated her room six years ago, we chose a pretty little girl pink (not the actual name on a paint chip) and then I took a "dry" paintbrush and lightly swished a soft purple all over the walls. I thought it was pretty cute at the time! She had a handmade comforter from her paternal grandmother, and bunk beds (in case there ever was to be another little sister -- not already there), and little homemade stuff I did here and there. I'll be honest and say it wasn't exactly what I wanted, but when you're a stay-at-home mother, you learn to live with a budget and accept that you can't afford everything you want. However, her room was really pretty and met my (and her) satisfaction at the time. But as with all rooms over time, it got dull, tons of holes in the wall, written on with a pencil, un-exciting, and as mentioned before, it was no longer solely her room. Here are some before pictures.

Smurfette Costume

Hi! I just want to share some pictures of a Smurfette costume that I made for Carly for Halloween this year. I bought some white fleece at JoAnn's (too much - I have 3 yards leftover!) because it's always cold on trick-or-treat night here to create her dress and hat. I used the tutorial for this shirt: http://www.u-createcrafts.com/2010/06/reversible-sun-top-tutorial-by-from.html and made it into a dress instead. For the hat, Brent and I traced our own pattern on a paper bag, but it took us three times to get the size right for her head! (Don't look too closely at the pictures or you'll see punch and pizza sauce on her outfit from the party!) Then we bought some blue tights and "long johns" from Target, used some face paint for the blue skin, and attached a flower clip to the side of her head...and voila! Smurfette is here! She already has blond hair and I tried flipping out the ends but by the time we traveled out-of-state to the party, it was done and not as cute when it was picture time. Carly loved the outfit...until the when we attended a birthday costume party and the face paint started to dry and tighten on her skin. She didn't like the way it felt. But she endured and everyone bragged that they couldn't believe how much she looked like the Smurf from years ago. Thanks for looking! PS - Jayna and Adam's costumes were much easier to put together...thank goodness! I'll post pictures of their outfits on Halloween for our family blog.

School Valentine's Day Gifts

Find what Adam (who is in a private Christian pre-school) did for his class here: http://downloads.sugardoodle.net/ValentineBookmarks[1].pdf and what Carly did for her class (public school) here: http://jas.familyfun.go.com/crafts/rock-candy-675037/. Happy Valentine's Day!!!

Carly's Valentine's Box

This year the teacher issued an assignment for the children to make their own Valentine's box at home. Since I have a ton of paper, glue, ribbon and such, Carly was in craft heaven! hehe This is what she came up with for her 2010 box (which is a recycled shoebox). She used some paper from the My Mind's Eye that I also used on my Valentine's wreath. The birds and nest were on some patterned paper that she decided to cut out and use as decor on the top of her box, and we used pop dots to give it extra dimension. We bought some pink, red, and purple gem stickers and also crystal heart stickers for the bling at Hobby Lobby. And then she decided she wanted the hole on top to be in the shape of a heart instead of a plain old slot. Good idea, Carly! It turned out super cute. We cut her name with the Storybook font with my Cricut. She did everything except for the heart hole on top. I handled the glue gun for her as well. Thanks for looking! And stay tuned for her cute Valentine gifts we are making for her classmates!

A Slightly Different Take on Headbands

Also, instead of the felt flower clip, you could use a fake/silk flower clip as well. Here are some pictures of Carly wearing one. Be on the lookout for my crocheted bow clips for the headbands, too! Thanks!!! And don't forget - I am hosting a giveaway for one of these headbands on Monday...enter and tell your friends!

Rosette Headband

I follow this blog: http://treyandlucy.blogspot.com/ and she recently added a rosette headband tutorial to her Etsy shop called "littlelucylu." I knew I wanted to make this for Carly and do some other stuff with it for Jayna and me. So I purchase, and here it is! However, I know the creator's looks better as she is the professional who is selling it and not me. But it was fun to make and not very hard. Just don't burn yourself with the glue gun!

Crocheted Matching Skirts

I recently learned how to make these crocheted skirts for Carly and Jayna. I really, really, really like the way they turned out!!! The hardest part for me was the flowers. And I did make Jayna's a little too large so thank goodness for the drawstring. So for about $8 and some time (well, LOTS of time) I made these adorable skirts. Then I found the jean jackets at a thrift store and got them both for $12. Found off-white shirts and tights at Target. I like the way the looked turned out, and this is what they wore to church today.