New Tradition for the New Year

This year was our first Christmas season, since we have been married, that we decided to stay home instead of packing up and heading out to stay with family for the Holidays. I know, seven years and we are finally going to start our own traditions. Part of the reason for this is because I am pregnant and still dealing with being sick and also because our daughter is two this year and we wanted to start making some of our own family memories and traditions.

What is our new tradition you ask.....well it comes out of procrastination. 

I was super late with getting Christmas letters out then found that Staples had a deal on cards, 50 for $5. SWEET!!! Even after Christmas came and went, I still hadn't gotten them done but the deal was still good at Staples.

Friday I designed our cards and sent them in, for the extra $5 I put a bunch of photos from the year on the back so everyone could see how much Lady A has grown. I LOVE how they turned out. 

The reason this is going to be my new tradition......getting them ready and sending them out after Christmas means there is one LESS thing to try and fit in, we got to make personal photo cards at a great price and if I wanted to {since everything is digital now} I can also include some of our photos from Christmas morning for grandparents and others.

It looks like the sale is over now but watch for it next year if this sounds like something you want to do. Unfortunately the my local Staples customer service was lacking quite a bit, but next year we will be somewhere new and I enjoyed doing New Years cards so much this year, I'll still end up doing them again.

How to Clean the Sticky off Jars

I love finding new uses for jars. The hardest part is getting all the sticky off the jar that is left behind when taking the wrapper off. I am here to tell you that there is an easy way to get it off.

All you need is baking soda and some kind of cooking oil. For the second step I used dish soap and a simple dish sponge.

FIRST: I mixed equal parts baking soda and oil then rubbed the mixture all over the jar.

*note: If exploring the Internet has taught me anything, it is that baking soda can clean most anything. The oil helps spread it on the jar.

Let the jars set for about 10-20 minutes.

SECOND: I put a bit of soap on the jar and used the sponge with a bit of water to wash off the paste.

*note: The sponge helps rub the sticky off and the soap is to clean the oil from the jar.

Now I'll spray the lids some fun colors and use them to help organize my storage/craft space.

Diapers for Dolls ~ Tutorial and Free Pattern

The other night as we were getting ready for bed, Lady A decided that she needed to get her babies ready for bed. She went through the last of the wipes making sure the babies were clean then we spent a half hour putting diapers on and off ... on and off.

I love watching her as she figures out new things on her own and tries to copy things that Paul and I do....but....It's time to make some diapers for her babies so we don't use all of hers up.

Flannel or Cotton material

Sewing machine and thread

Velcro {or snaps}
Scissors
Pattern

Optional: Ribbon

Click here to get my template, it has three sizes.

Size 1: Small dolls

Size 2: Cabbage Patch (mine is from the 80's)

Size 3: Homemade doll

Decide what size of diaper you need and cut out the pattern {I used some scrap canvas material so it would hold up as I use it over and over again}. 

I am going to add Velcro on but it was just a bit wider than the ribbon so I cut that down to size. The Velcro pieces ended up being 1" {inch} long.

I suggest cutting one piece from the fabric first {step 2} and placing it on the doll to check the size before cutting out all the diapers from the material.

Optional: Sew the ribbon to the the diaper {step 4}. I usually place it on the front of the outside fabric and this will be where I place one side of the sticky Velcro.

Get the opposite piece of Velcro ready by placing it on a piece of ribbon that is approx. 1.5" long. {step 5} Place the Velcro in the center so that there will be 1/4" seem allowance. Place on the back of the outside fabric with the Velcro up and the pattern of the ribbon down. Now place the right side of the inside fabric down.

Note: be sure to pin the loose pieces in place so they will stay where you want them until you sew.

Sew together with a 1/4" seem allowance leaving an opening approx. 3" wide along one side of the waist, trim off the corners so they will lay flat when you turn the diaper right side out {step 6 & 7}.

Not pictured~oops: {step 7.5} along the curved part for the legs make a couple of small snipes in the fabric {careful not to cut the stitches}. This will help it lay flat when you turn the diaper right side out.

Do a top stitch to help make everything look nice and crisp {step 8}.

Place Velcro on the front ribbon. {I placed mine in 1.5" in from the edge. It's not an exact science but I just placed the diaper on the baby doll and did a best guess.}

Trim down and finish the edge of the ribbon so it won't become unraveled {I used the singe technique}.

Do you sometimes giggle to yourself when you are so pleased with how a project turned out. I am uber please with these and showed them to everyone. My MIL's boss asked for some too for her grand-daughter so I have to get working on the next set.

And now we have enough diapers to fill her little hearts content.

Wipes Case Cover

I needed to add a bit of style to my diaper bag so I decided to start with the wipes case. It seems like I have been using grey in everything lately but it seems to go with everything. This combination of yellow and grey from my material is great, made even better because it was in the remnant bin at Joann's so it was super cheap.

 Wipes Case

Cotton material

Felt sheet

Ribbon

Glue gun

Scissors

Template that you can down load from here.

Print the template and cut out the pattern for the material. Use it to cut two pieces of fabric.

Now cut the pattern down to the size for the felt piece and cute two pieces from the felt.

*This is a rough template and designed to help give the basic size and design you'll need.

Hot glue the felt to the top and bottom of the wipes case, keeping it centered.

Tips: To help keep the felt centered I used tape on either end and hot glued sections at a time. I kept my hot glue thin so it wouldn't be bump. At the corners cut a little triangle out so that it will lay flat then glue down the sides.

Hot glue the cotton fabric in place, trim any edges that need it. The order I did glued down the fabric was: back, front, sides, corners. Then trim any excess around the edges.

Now use the hot glue to place the ribbon around the edges.

Now there is a bit of color to the diaper bag. Yea!! From here you can add any embellishments you would like. Lady A loves to tear things apart so I opted not to add any embellishments to this one.

Quick Fix ~ Heat Transfer

I have to admit, I have always been a bit timid to use no-sew permanent adhesive. Many years ago when I used it for other projects, the edges always seemed to lift and curl.

For baby showers, one of the items I love to give are hand made blankets. This cute one was meant for a friend when I noticed a little hole that would eventually fray and then be a perfect hole for a little girl to stick her finger in and tear it even bigger.

Here is my chance to get over my timidness about the heat bond.

 What you'll need:

No-sew Permanent Adhesive {I used Heat-n-Bond}

Extra Material

Pencil

Iron & Ironing Board

Scissors

Prep material as directed on package.

Cut a piece of patch material and adhesive.

*Tip: cut the adhesive piece just a bit smaller than the patch material so that as it is heated it will not stick to the ironing board.

Iron as directed on package.

Draw your desired shape and cute out the patch {mine was a heart}.

Proceed with adhering the patch as directed on package.

Pretty much, it was so super easy. I couldn't tell you what my hold up has been all this time. Simply didn't work years ago when I tried and so I have stayed away ever sense. Well, not any more!! This heat transfer material has opened up a whole world of possibilities for me. Yea!!

Keep Creating

~Mindy

Love Notes Picture Frame ~ Take Two

I love when I finish a project and get to share it with all of you. These frames turned out great and were so simple to put together.

Two more family wedding presents. I was holding out for the right frames and wouldn't you know that I found the perfect ones at Wal-mart for $3!

 

What you need:

Frame

Photo

Pattern Paper {card stock works great}

Spray Mount

X-acto knife and/or Scissors

Metal Ruler

Cutting Mat

Masking Tape

Dry Erase Marker

The frame advertises that it has spots for two 4"x6" photos, that's a lie, it is 3.5"x 5.5". I already had my 4x6 photo picked out and ready to go so I had to cut the opening a bit but no biggie.

Spray mount the front of the cardboard mat and place face down on the back side of your patterned paper.
{American Crafts - Take Note - Pink Pearl}

{American Crafts - Classic Calico - Frequency}

*Tip: I held the cardboard mat and patterned paper up to the window {kind of like a light box affect} and marked roughly where I wanted it to line up.

Cut off the excess around the cardboard mat and cut out the opening where you want the photo to go.

*Tip: On the wrong side I marked the four corners for the photo opening by making little cuts with the x-acto knife. Then on the right side I used the metal ruler as a guide to make a nice straight cut for the photo opening.

It looks a little low tech but I used masking tape to place the photos. This would hold it nice and tight and I wouldn't worry about a liquid glue warping the material as it soaked in. This will also allow the couples receiving these frames to change out the photos without worrying about ruining the cardboard mat.

They are done and wonderful! A good sign that they are perfect is when I want to keep them for myself instead of giving them away.

I used an image transfer technique that you can find here.







Go Create!!
Mindy

Fit Friday ~ Keeping up with it All

This week I have been working on doing all those things I have set out to do over the past few months: drinking more water, getting out for walks more often, more sleep etc.

I have been getting headaches lately and been super tired {usually taking a nap the whenever Lady A took one} so I went in for a physical. Secretly, I was thinking if there were something in my blood work it would be the kick I need to do some more intense workouts. Well, it was all normal. I was in the middle all across the board. So I guess I will continue going to bed earlier since that is the only thing that has helped to keep the headaches from coming on.

I still think that the best thing I have done so far is drinking more water. It is simply amazing how much this can affect your body, weight, skin, health and so much more. I highly recommend that if you are looking to feel better, this is a good place to start.

~Mindy