I am Feeling Sew Sew!

Okay, tonight is the night that I will finally get this sewing on the go. I have so much to get done and here I am, lounging about and getting nothing done.

The weather has been great and it is high time I get Miss Z's summer wardrobe started. She is really in need of some clothing and I WILL not buy anything this year. I WILL make it all myself!! I can and will get my head out of my hind regions and quit procrastinating!

First item on the list, the polka dot dress recon. I thought I made a post a while ago, showing this dress but I can't seem to locate it now. Anywho, I will post before and after pictures when I am done. I have a very simple idea to make this dress work. In fact, I think I may use this plan to make my very first tutorial!!

Wish me luck and I will be back in a day or two to show off some pictures and maybe a tutorial :P

Sharing

A little something, something or two...or more :) These are some items that I made for a craft swap that I did last month. I was pretty proud og hoe well these things turned out, as I spent the majority of this craft swap, wonder what the heck I should make. Anywho, here is what I made.

A robot pillow/stuffie
2 small canvas paintings (made with recycled materials)
2 owl mug rugs (almost kept them for myself...LOL)
1 meter of owl fabric and a bar of delicious, homemade smelly soap. Of course, I didn't make the last two things :)

The Sheets That Just Keep Giving

That's right, yet another item crated from the retro sheets. Miss Z now has an entire outfit and a matching kite...LOL!! Now that is a serious accessory :P

Here is the last item made from the retro sheets.

This is a very simple little apron top. No pattern used, just another winging it type of deal.

Front

Back. The bow is not actually wonky, as it appears in the picture.

The whole outfit, worn on Easter Sunday.

Reuse, Reduce, Recycle, Re-purpose: Retro Sheets...Again!

Keeping this "reuse, reduce, recycle, re-purpose" segment going, here is the latest!

This is a kite I made, using the sheets you saw turned in to a skirt. There is so much of it to go around, I am still trying to find different ways to use them up. I did make an apron top to go with the skirt, but it is in the wash, so I posted this project first.

I made this kite after doing a bit of research online, to figure out how to make a kite with fabric. Of course, I ended up just winging it. There has been no real wind for flying and now it is raining like crazy, so we'll have to wait to see if it can actually fly. I really hope it does but if not, this one will be hung in Miss Z's room as decor and it will be back to the drawing board for me. We'll see, I guess...please fly, please fly, please fly...

Reuse, Reduce, Recycle, Re-purpose: Retro Sheets

This is currently a WIP! I am actually taking a quick break from sewing, to type out this post...LOL!

In a previous post, I showed you a picture of a pair of retro sheets that I purchased at send hand stores. Well, they are now becoming a re-purposed/upcycled skirt for Miss Z. It is turning out very well and it is a super simple style of skirt. No pattern, I am simply winging it (yeah, it's just how I roll).

Anywho, I must get back at it, so that I may finish it up before bed time. Pictures to be posted before I end my evening :)

Okay, all finished and I LOVE this little skirt!! The two sheets together look fantastic.

First, here is a refresher of the sheets I posted previously:So cute and retro :)

Now, here is the simple but super sweet skirt:I love these fabrics (sheets) so much, that I am planning to make a little apron to to go with this skirt.

Reuse, Reduce, Recycle, Re-purpose: Egg Cartons

Ah yes, egg cartons and their many uses! There are so many great ideas of what you can do with egg cartons. Here is what we did with them today.

Caterpillars:This one was a lot of fun because it involved cutting, painting, pipe cleaners

Spring Flowers:Miss Z says that these flowers smell SOOOOOO good! Tee hee...So sweet!

Color Sorting and Counting:
This idea was something I came up with when Miss Z was about 2. She used to love sorting the colors and counting the pieces. She still takes it out sometimes and plays with it on her own. This is actually a double re-purposing, as the circle pieces are made from a cereal box!

We have one more thing to do with the egg cartons, and that is to start a few plants in them. From what I gather, you can transplant them in to your garden, still in the individual cups...Cool :)

Give A Hoot!

A little something crafty to share with you, today :)



This is a set of "owly" mug rugs I have made for a fellow Craftster. It has been a while since I posted something crafty because most of the crafty goods I have made lately, are items that are surprises for some who may see my blog. This is okay to share because this will be a secret to the person recieving! She has no idea I am the person sending her crafted goodies ;) Such a fun craft swap idea!

What Will They Be?

I have been collecting materials and used clothing, in preparation to make a summer wardrobe for Miss Z and this is what I have purchased thus far:

Some shirts and a jean jacket that will remain a jacket but with a few touch ups. It needs to be taken in and I want to add some crazy color and patches.These skirts were a great buy at only a dollar a piece. The two sheets are super sweet and it is funny how I found a matching set.. The yellow sheet was purchased at a local secondhand shop but the pink sheet was found quite a ways from home. My family went on a mini-vacation and when we arrived to this tiny town, I saw something that caught my eye...A SECONDHAND SHOP!! Of course I can spot the only tiny secondhand shop in this town...LOL!! I had to stop in and take a look. I looked over just about everything and when I decided I was finished, I headed to the cash when I walked by this pink sheet that looked super familiar. I picked it up and hmmmed and haaaaaed over it when I realized, it was the same as the yellow sheet I had purchased at home! I had to get it, it was just meant to be :P I mean, Macho Man couldn't possibly argue this purchase. I have a pretty good idea of what will come of these sweet old sheets!

It is just a matter of time before these items become lovely (I hope) pieces of clothing. I plan to use the tutorials I posted in a previous post as well as winging it with a few things. I am thinking of making a few of my own patterns. We shall see how this all plays out.

Recycle Crafting

I was trying to think of different crafty things that I could do with Miss Z in the theme of Spring/Easter and came up with a really good idea! I noticed that we have quite a few cardboard toilet paper rolls in the recycling box and I am always looking for inexpensive craft supplies, so what better place to find them? I am planning to let Miss Z paint them, add faces and bunny ears to the rolls...Easter bunny toilet paper rolls...Woo hoo!!! Nothing like some good ole crafty recycling :) I hope she likes the idea and it all goes well. I will be sure to post pictures of what she creates.

Anywho, this made me think of what other recycling ideas there may be for these cardboard rolls. I found a few links that I thought would be fun to share, and maybe some of you may be interested to try ;)


Toilet Paper Roll Wreath

TV Pixilator Light Show This is funny, but looks like fun to try out.

A mixture of Ideas!

Read Along - The Apple Pie Tree

This is our contribution to the read along going on over at Helping Little Hands. A great idea and we are privileged to be added to the many participants :)

We recently got The Apple Pie Tree by Zoe Hall, from the library and Miss Z seems to really love it! I mean, who wouldn't love the story of a tree that produces apple pie?!?! Okay, it doesn't produce pie, but it does produce the most important part of apple pie...APPLES! This is a story of an apple tree as it changes with each season. The end result being growth of fruit, which becomes an apple pie.

What other project would go with this book, better than making an apple pie?

Reading, reading, reading.

Making crust.


Whipping up a little appley, delicious filling. We used apples from our freezer, that we picked last summer(local, pesticide free goodness!)

Filling the mini pies! One for Miss Z and one for her Daddy. (Mommy is watching her weight, but I had a taste)

Just before they go in to the oven!

After some serious baking, it is time to enjoy the fruit of our labour ;)

For those who are interested, here is the recipe we used Grandma Ople's Apple Pie. It was more of a base, as we did make a few adjustments...Just the 1/2 cup of brown sugar, less butter and we added cinnamon and nutmeg. YUMMY!

Homemade Show and Tell...Again

I wanted to share another homemade item...or two!


Here are some recycled goodies I made for a crafting raffle that I joined on Craftster. We had to make something, using recycled/re-purposed items only. I came up with a coffee mug cozy made from recycled wool sweaters, and 2 journals made with a Weetabix box, recycled paper bags from a scrapbook store (that no longer gives the handy sized paper bags, but now gives poopy plastic bags) and are also covered in recycled wool sweater pieces!

I really liked the turn out of these crafts and it was very hard to let them go, but I am sure they are loved in their new home :)

Homemade Show and Tell

I figured it as time to share a little crafty goodness with you, as I haven't posted anything crafty in quite some time!




These are a pair of patchwork cord pants that I made for a FB friend. She is a lovely lady that I met through a Mommy group (online), I joined when I first found I was pregnant with Miss Z. She recently had her second child, a boy, and while she was pregnant, I offered to make her a pair of pants for her little guy. Being a hippie as well, I figured these would be perfect! There was a picture posted of her little man in these pants and though they are still a bit to big, they looked really sweet on him :)

Slouch Hat Fail

Well people, here it is...



The "supposed to be" slouch hat that ended up looking much more like an awkward, over sized beret! It looks odd and really doesn't fit right, so no action shots!

This means that I am back to the drawing board, and on to the next pattern. I hope to have better luck with the next one :)

Getting My Crafty On

I was just realizing that this blog has taken a move for the less crafty, these days. I think it is time to do more of the crafty sharing, around here :) I have been crafting, but it has been for swaps I have been doing, on one of my favourite craft sites...Craftster!! If you are crafty, love crafts, want to learn to craft, this is the place to be. Now that the "plug" for that site has been made, on to the rest of this post...LOL!

As soon as I have finished the current swaps and the people I am sending to have received, I plan to share the projects I have made. I will also be focusing on making clothing for Miss Z, as well as some recon projects. Be sure to check in from time to time, to see more crafty goodness!

Ten Apples Up On Top

What a cute little book this is!

I thought I would share some schooly crafted goodness with you today. I recently saw this idea on another blog (can't remember which one), to read a book and then to do some art work, with the book's theme. Well, today was our first try at it and Miss Z LOVES it! She had so much fun, reading with Mommy, counting, painting and gluing.

Here is what we did:

I made paper apples from construction paper, then gathered supplies we needed. Oh, and Miss Z picked the character she wanted, from the book and I drew it on to large blank paper (ah yes, look at my drawing skills...LOL).


Then, Miss Z painted her tiger, with some help from Mommy. We read the book while the paint dried on her tiger. As I was reading, I had Miss Z count out the paper apples, to go along with the number of apples added to each character.


Last, but not least, Miss Z glued "Ten Apples Up On Top"!!


Here is the picture she took herself, of her lovely art ;)


There you have!! All kinds of fun was had with this project, and I hope you enjoyed seeing it :)

Slouch Obsessed!

I am out of control! I want to try every single version of a slouch hat, that I find. I was thinking I should share some of the patterns that I have found, with you all :) I mean, who doesn't love a good slouch hat?!?!

Here are the linky poos:

Eyelet Slouch Hat

Meret : This one is a PDF.

Runched Slouch Beanie

Slouch Hat Knitting Pattern

Knit Slouch Hat Pattern: This pattern is the first one I will be trying out. In fact, it is already on the needles, I just haven't had a chance to work at it.


Rudolph Hat : Not a slouch hat, but super cute!!

I have yet to try these patterns, but I plan to, in hopes of finding a slouch hat that is to my liking. If any of you try one or some of these patterns, be sure to let me know how it/they turn out. I will post pictures of the ones that I try out...even if they fail :)

A Party Fit for the Planet

My little girl turned three recently and of course we planned a homemade party for her. I knew I wanted her party to be as eco-friendly as possible and it turns out, that is really quite easy. We not only went eco, but we also went with healthier choices! There were no disposable decorations, no plastic or paper dishes to be thrown away and no useless plastic toys, in plastic bags and only the equivalent of one half of a small shopping bag of waste!! I am so proud of myself, for sticking to it and getting everything done on time and making so much myself.
Fabric Banner. Made from pieces in my scrap bin.
When reading a few other blogs and sites, it was made to sound as if it was going to be super expensive, but I found the opposite! I used materials I had on hand, to make the decorations and my mother and I went looking at the local secondhand shops, for dishes and cutlery (7.00). I also used some pink fabric I had, as table cloths. I didn't do anything to the material, besides ironing it and once the party was over, I washed the fabric and put it right back in to the mix for later crafting!
Japanese paper balloons that I learned to make, the night before the party and felt hearts and stars.
For food, I made turkey wraps(using real turkey I baked the day before) and veggie wraps, lots of fruit and veggies, cheese and crackers. I also made hummus and a Greek dip from the cookbook, Deceptively Delicious. I bought lentil chips and rice chips for dipping, instead of potato chips. There was no pop, but instead, we had apple juice with just apples and a fruit juice made just of fruit, no added sugars. Oh, and the cake was supposed to be vegan, but things just would not go my way :( I made Coconut Cake from the Eat, Drink, Be Vegan cookbook, but only half of what I made, actually became a part of the finished product. I made the cake three times, and the first time was amazing but the second and third...Not so good! I forgot the sugar and it didn't cook right. I was so disappointed that when I was STILL baking, the day of the party, I had to cave and use a crappy boxed cake mix *hangs head in shame*. It was then iced with whipped cream (whipped myself) and garnished with strawberries. Everyone had a good time and appreciated the healthier food choices!
Tasty cake! Nothing fancy, but super yummy!

Halloween Crafty Links!

We are currently decorating our home for Halloween and thought it would be nice to share some tutorials of the crafts we are trying this year. All the links are crafts that can be done with the little ones.

Hand Print Monster Banner
We are working on this one tonight.

Egg Carton Pumpkins

Hand Print Spiders

Ghost Leaves

Tissue Paper Pumpkins

Snow Pumpkin

Hope you find these useful and get to try out one or two. I will be sure to post some of our results with these :)

More Goodies!

I took a break from Ya ya's Summer wardrobe, to help my sister out with a few small items she needed, to complete a craft swap she was a part of. I thought I would share them with you.


I made a freezer paper stencil, by hand and used acrylic paint to paint it on.


This bag was actually quite fun to make! I used a pattern (which I never really do) and though it was a wee bit confusing, I just got the basics and did my own thing. I really like how this one turned out and plan to make a few more for myself and as gifts. I am not sure of the pattern I used, maybe my sister will add that in a comment :)

Homemade Summer Wardrobe: 10lb Ruffle Dress

Ok, it isn't really 10lbs (I am sure you knew that though...LOL), it is just SUPER heavy! All I really did for this dress, was add 5 inches of material to the bottom of a shirt and added ruffles. I make it sound like it was super easy but I had a lot of issues with the ruffles and had redo some of them, more than once. Actually, it was more of an issue with the thread breaking. I think I will use a sturdier thread, next time I make ruffles for anything.

I am amazed at how heavy it seems and wasn't sure if it was going to be comfortable for Ya ya, but she seems to really like it. The material used for the bottom part was old t shirts that I had in my drawer but never wore them.

Though it was a wee bit aggravating, it was relatively easy and turned out cute.