Bassinet Makeover

My original plan for our little man was to move the crib we have into our bedroom and he can start his days sleeping in that. Then I came across this bassinet at a local thrift store and it was half off for $15...so I thought it might be nice to save some of our bedroom space until he makes the move into our daughter's bedroom. I used some Harley Davidson fabric that I found at Goodwill last week. My husband is a Harley lover, a Harley rider, a Harley mechanic, and now even teaches the subject for a living. So, I guess you could say we like motorcycles in this house?

So, I paid my $15, loaded it up in the back of my mom's truck, and scared my husband when he saw me walking through the door with this:

Oh come on...it's beautiful in it's own "why were lace and ribbons ever a trend?" way:)

I wanted to make my own cover for it, and I tried to use the existing one that was on there as a pattern...but it just didn't seem to give me the same look I wanted. So in the end...I just measured the bassinet and winged it!

I started by tracing the mattress to make the bottom part of my cover.

(And yes, you can be jealous of the awesome floral mattress that came with this gem)

I traced it with an extra 1" all the way around. I knew I could always take it in if I needed to...but if it was too tight...then the whole project would end badly.

Next, I placed the mattress and the new mattress piece I cut out into the bottom of the bassinet to see how it fit. I then measure from the top of the mattress to the top of the bassinet edge and half way around (I needed two pieces to make the inner edge).

When I am trying to recover something, I like to tape on the pieces I have made to make sure it looks like it will all come together when I sew it.

I cut out another piece for the inner edge and then measured the whole outer edge and made two pieces for that as well (my seams are on the two long ends of the bassinet). I decided I wanted the cover to come down on the outside about 6 inches.

Finally, I sewed it all together. I started by sewing together the two inner edge pieces at each end (right sides facing), creating a big circle or "bumper" for the bassinet. Next, I sewed the bottom piece to the inner edge (right sides facing). Now I had what looked like a fabric basket. Finally, I took the two outer pieces (also sewn together at each end with right sides facing) creating another large circle, and sewed that to the edge of the inner piece.

The outside of the bassinet was a little larger than the inside measurement, so that's why I have a little pucker in the middle of the front (and middle of the back) of my cover.

Also, just to make sure it fit securely, I folded under the outer edge that was still raw and sewed it all the way around with a 1" seam allowance, leaving a 2" opening. I then measured some elastic around the outside of the bassinet and strung it through my opening. I sewed the ends of the elastic together, fed it into the opening, and sewed the opening shut.

Here is the final product (after my husband also touched up the paint job). I made a little orange and black blanket to match too.

Also, if you want a little more padding than just the mattress, you could sew some batting to the wrong side of your bottom piece or iron some fusible felt onto it for a little more cushion.

I'm sorry there weren't many photos with this tutorial. I was sewing it late at night and trying to figure it out as I went along. It was actually one of the easiest projects I have done in a while. It only has a few pieces to it, but it's the measuring that takes a little time.

I love the fresh new look it has and I can't wait to bring home our little guy so he can try it out:)

Price:

bassinet: $15

fabric: $2.50

elastic: $.10

Total: $17.60

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Sugar and Dots

Tatertots and Jello

Lazy Days

Well, it's officially summer here. We are in the 100s every day and I can't wait to hit 118 like we do every year:)

So, with all this hot weather comes a lot of indoor activities. I have watched Princess and the Frog too many times to count and colored endless Strawberry Shortcake and Berenstain Bears pictures with my daughter.

I've also been workin' on watching this get bigger:

At least I have a reason to look huge in a swimsuit this year...not that I have found one large enough to drape over myself yet! I do feel a lot better now that I can feel him move during the day. He also forces me to eat a lot of Chipotle salads with no cheese (I tried with cheese once and he made me regret it) and Starbursts candy (just the pink ones). Oh and plain Cheerios (they have to be plain and name brand...what a diva baby!). So mix that all with a 3 yr old that won't nap or poop on the potty and we have one lively summer on our hands!

I have some crafts planned...but that means going out into what feels like the surface of the sun to pick up supplies. I did order some fabric online to make our little guy his own taggie blanket...so I hope that comes in soon and that I can make it to the mailbox and back without melting.

So, what have you been up to so far this summer? Any good ideas for keeping the kiddos inside and and busy?

Fabric Summer Wreath

OK...so this isn't really just a summer wreath seeing as how it's been hanging on my door since January. I haven't taken the time to take a final photo of it within the last 5 months. My bad.

I originally found this wreath over at Here's Looking at Me, Kid and I fell in love with everything about it. It had me at stripes and flowers. So, after reading the tutorial here, I decided to make my own version.

Materials:

straw wreath (bound in plastic)

old T-shirt (or fabric of your choice)

hot glue gun

knife (for cutting the wreath)

felt for flowers

I found this T-shirt at my local thrift store for $1 and the wreath also for $2. You can also find these wreathes in all different sizes at the craft store and they are priced reasonably.

I started by cutting the sleeves off my shirt (at the shoulder seam) and then cutting my wreath in one spot so that I could slip the sleeves onto it.

I slipped one sleeve on the wreath in one direction, and the other sleeve in the other direction.

I hot glued them where they met up. I decided that where I had cut the wreath would be where my flowers would end up so I made sure to match up my stripes at the very top (where I would hang it) so that from a distance the seam would not be noticeable. The other seam at the bottom is where my flowers would be...so I didn't worry about that part looking too perfect.

Next, I cut out some flowers out of felt and used regular nails to press them into the wreath. I could have glue them...but I wasn't sure what kind of arrangement I wanted, and using the nails meant I could take them on or off until I got the look I wanted.

Finally, I covered the centers of my larger white flowers with small circles of felt...but I left the nails bare on the red flowers. I liked the industrial look at the time and I may change them out for yellow sewing pins some day. The yellow flowers are small circles of felt that I folded in half once and then once again and glued into clusters.

To hang the wreath, I took an old paperclip and unfolded it a bit so that I could push the two ends into the straw wreath and have a makeshift hook out of it.

So, I am finally sharing this wreath about 5 months after I made it! It's been living on our front door for about a month and it makes me so happy every time I pull into our driveway:)

I'm linked to:

Tatertots and Jello

Sugar and Dots

Soft Taggie Blanket

Another present I made for my friend's baby shower was a taggie blanket. I was so excited when I found black minky at Hobby Lobby because other places don't sell it. I got 1/2 a yard of minky and the guitar fabric came from my friend (that's what she used to recover the baby's car seat).

I found some ribbon at Joann. Since there wasn't a lot of printed ribbon by the yard...I found more colorful prints in with the edging and straps. I also found some large ric rac that I thought would be cute. I bought 8" of each ribbon since that would be enough to use each ribbon twice around the blanket.

Also, since most of my ribbon was plain...I bought some 1/4" ribbon to add to some of the larger ribbons to make them look more interesting.

I started by cutting two large squares out of the cotton and minky.

I cut all my ribbon pieces in half and laid them around the blanket in a pattern that looked good to me. You can also see where I took my 1/4" orange ribbon and laid pieces on top of the larger pieces of ribbon to be sewn together.

Next, I sewed all the ribbons in half (with right side out) to make all my loops.

Then, I sewed all the loops to the right side of the cotton fabric. I sewed them with the loop part facing in and the raw edges facing out and with a 1/4" seam allowance.

Finally, I put my minky piece on top (right side down) and sewed all the way around the square (still making sure my ribbon pieces were turned in). I left an opening so that I could flip it right side out.

Once I flipped it right side out (and made sure all my ribbon loops were facing out), I top stitched all the way around to close up the opening.

There are a lot of steps that you wouldn't necessarily HAVE to do (like pre sewing the loops, or sewing them onto the cotton first)...but since this was my first taggie, and a gift, I wanted to make sure it was all even and secure. Plus I like knowing that the ribbons are sewn in a few times so that they won't tear out over time.

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Sugar and Dots

Tie Onesie

First off, I am having a case of the Mondays today. I started off with my OB appointment...and lets just say...I was so shocked by what was on the scale...that I thought I still had my large purse on my arm. Nope...just me...and shame. Plus, my daughter and I could use a vacation from one another. I love her beyond words, and I know her personality will make her such a wonderful young woman someday...but it's not the easiest to parent!

OK, rant over;)

The first time I saw a tie onesie....I fell in love. I thought it was the cutest thing for a boy baby ever! So, when my friend's shower was approaching (and she told me she also liked tie onesies)...I decided it would make for a perfect gift:)

I started with a plain white onesie from Walmart and some cotton fabric and heat and bond. I ironed the printed cotton onto the the head and bond (right side up) and then cut out my tie pieces. The top part (or the "knot") and the bottom part of the tie are actually two pieces. I wanted them to overlap and look more "authentic". So, I ironed the bottom of the tie down first, stitched around the edges with my sewing machine, and then ironed the top part down, and stitched around that.

It was super easy and so adorable! I know our little man will have quite a few of these as well:)

If you want more info on how to make an applique...check out this post.

OK...with all this crafting this week...my house got severly neglected! But, who wants to clean on the weekends just so it can be messy again by Monday, right? So, my new best friend and I are going to tackle my floors today. Unfortunatly I am out of Hoarders episodes on Netflix...but I just started watching Obsessed...so that should keep me busy while I clean:)

Easy Baby Bibs

I went to my friend's baby shower this weekend (she is having a boy too!) and I made a few things for her.

She had this fabric turned into a carseat cover...so she gave me the remnants to play around with and I used some of it on bibs.

These bibs are super easy and quick to make. They are also such a cute alternative to ones in the store...and cheaper too!

Materials:

printed cotton fabric

terry cloth fabric (or a dish towel)

snaps (or velcro)

matching thread

I started by making a bib template. You can trace a bib you already have...or just draw out a design that you like. I tried my template on my 3yr old daughter to make sure it would fit a baby because I am not the best at making templates!

Once I got the shape I wanted...I traced my template onto the regular fabric and some terry cloth fabric that I found by the yard.

I placed my two bib pieces together with the right sides facing each other and pinned them together.

I sewed all the way around the bib...making sure to leave an opening so that I could flip it right side out.

Once I had it flipped right side out, I pressed it with an iron, and top stitched around the entire bib, sewing my opening shut.

Finally I added some snaps to the top of each one...and that was it! You could also sew on velcro if you prefer. Super simple, cute, and best of all..useful!

I have a lot of the terry cloth material left and I saved my template...so I can't wait to pick out some fabric for our little guy too:)

Boy or Girl?

I had my anatomy ultrasound today and I was more than ready for it! We sat and watched the screen as the technician pointed out each body part and that they all looked perfect (I think I let out a sigh of relief with each one) and then she asked if we wanted to know the gender....um heck yeah!

It's a BOY!!!

I knew right away when the technician scanned over the area...but my husband didn't know what he was looking at...so the he had to wait for the tech to tell him:) I cried and he laughed! We just could NOT believe it! I know he wanted a little man to do "guy things" with, especially since we have been blessed with a daughter (and all the pink and tiaras that come with her)...so it was just a perfect moment.

We ran into Target for a minute before my husband had to go to work and couldn't resist picking up this musical giraffe. I think it will look really cute with his bedding. Oh my...I still can't get used to saying "him" or "his"!

It still feels so surreal...but SO exciting all at the same time! I thought I might be a little sad to not make all the girly accessories for a baby girl this time around...but I didn't care at all! I can't wait for all the things that come with little boys. My husband and I would giggle every time we said "our son"...I know...what nerds!

Thank you again for all your wonderful comments and emails! Today was such an emotional day in a good way...and that's something we have been looking forward to for a long time;) Knowing this baby is healthy and halfway here is wonderful!

So, bring on the baby boy crafts!

Backpack Redo with Ruffles

It's summer time...so that means we are out an about hoping from place to place before the weather gets too unbearable here. It's still in the high 90s here and I am lovin' it! So, with being in and out of the car, it's easiest just to pack my daughter a backpack with a change of clothes and a lunch for our afternoon out.

I found this small backpack at the thrift store a while back for $.99. I wanted a mini one for my daughter so that I didn't have to tote around all her summer stuff in my purse, but I also wanted it small enough that she can carry it herself.

It was the perfect size...but blue...and boring.

So, I went into my fabric stash (which is dwindling these days) and pulled out some fun fabrics that matched the backpack and also each other. I also pulled out some ribbon to use for one of my ruffles.

In order to make sure my fabric would be long enough after being ruffled (?), I cut out strips that were double the width and length of the final size that I wanted.

With right sides facing, I folded the strip in half lengthwise and sewed up one long side:

I now had an inside out tube..so I flipped it right side out and ruffled it on my machine. To see how I ruffle fabric on my machine click HERE. (PS- After going back to that post to link it up here...I am SO ready for Christmas again! This happens to me every year. I am ready for Christmas in the summer.)

I repeated that process with all of my fabric. I just ruffled the ribbon as it was off the spool.

Finally I folded in each end and hot glued it to the front of my daughter's backpack. I also added some 1/4" ribbon to the zippers to make zipper pulls. And that's it! A free redo for my $.99 backpack:)

DIY Chevron Wall Art

I have been a busy crafter lately. I got all my the squares for my daughter's baby clothes quilt sewn together (pictures to come), finished some curtains for our dining room (using the same material as these curtains from a duvet), completed my first custom order, and also finished up some projects for my friend's upcoming baby shower! I'm on a roll and I don't want to stop because I'm afraid I may never tackle my "to do" list again:)

On my list was something for our dining room. I wanted something large...but neutral since my curtains are a bright color. It's no secret that I love chevron. I love everything about chevron and I would even drape myself in chevron if it were socially acceptable (Seinfeld lovers will get that). So, a large piece of chevron wall art seemed to fit our style and my budget of zero point zero zero dollars (Bronx Beat shout out).

I started by finding an image of a chevron pattern and enlarging it on my computer screen. Then I took plain white computer paper, held it up to the screen, and traced the pattern. To make my stencil more precise, I went over each line with a ruler and a black marker.

I painted a large piece of thin wood white with acrylic paint since I already had some.

Next, I cut out my stencil and traced it over my whole board with an ink pen. I recommend tracing your stencil with something light so that it's easier to paint in later.

Finally, I painted in ever other line with some gray acrylic paint that I had and I was done! I found a foam brush worked best to get really clean corners and lines.

The wood I used is less than 1/4 of an inch thick. It was a piece of scrap wood my dad had and it was chipped and splitting in certain places and I really liked the texture of the design over each crack and imperfection.

I also hung it on the wall by nailing picture frame hooks on the back.

Also, you may have noticed that my red chairs are black again. Although I liked them red...I never thought to seal them and constantly wiping them down each day was starting to fade the paint (not the mention the movers scratched them up quite a bit). So, they are black again and I love them:) And a round of applause for my hubby for painting them for me without complaining one bit! I know he is counting down the months until I can paint my own projects again.

I'm linked to:

Sugar and Dots

Party Mindie Style

3 Days to Go....

I have my ultrasound on Friday and I don't think the next three days can go by quickly enough!

Normally I don't like time to pass too quickly because I am learning to enjoy these last days as a mama of 1 and I'm really trying to give more of my complete attention to my daughter...but maybe the next three days could still go by just a little quicker than usual?

Oh well, a watched pot never boils, right? And I've been watching my stomach for over 4 months:)

So, please pray for me over the next few days and for our appointment Friday. I am VERY anxious to hear and see the baby again and to hear that all is well! Then after all that...I wanna know if it's a boy or a girl!

Steak and Bean Enchiladas

I'm not really an enchilada person. There used to be this great restaurant by us that served the BEST enchiladas for like $2.00 (you know it's authentic when it's cheap) and then they tried to go all commercial and ended up closing:( So, I came across a version of this recipe recently and decided to give it a try.

Ingredients:

cooked chopped steak (about 8-10oz) $2.00

(I bought the grilled steak in a bag because it was cheaper with my coupon)

8-10 flour tortillas $1.00

1 can of pinto beans (drained) $.60

I can black beans (drained) $.60

I can enchilada sauce $1.00

1/4c chopped green onions $.20

1 c cheddar or pepper jack cheese $.80

1. In a skillet, cook steak seasoned with salt and pepper to taste. (I also added a little chili powder).

2. Once meat is cooked through, add both cans of drained beans, onions, and 1/2 of the enchilada sauce. Heat for about 5-10 minutes.

3. On a tortilla, scoop the meat and bean mixture and top with a little of the cheese. Roll up the tortilla and place in a baking dish. Repeat until mixture is all gone. (I made half of this recipe and got 5 tortillas filled up).

4. Top tortillas with remaining enchilada sauce (making sure to cover ever part of the tortillas so that they don't burn in the oven) and finally top with the rest of the shredded cheese.

5. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes...until cheese is melted on top.

These are seriously SO good!! My daughter even ate them:) You could add any other beans you like or also some green bell peppers and corn as well.

I loved the taste of steak in these. I didn't like my enchiladas in the past with ground beef...and the steak makes them taste so much better. This is now one of my favorite recipes;)

Total: $6.20

Baby Clothes Quilt: Part 3

Once upon a time I decided to cut up all (well most) of my daughter's clothes in order to make a baby clothes quilt. Well, lots of junk happened and all my cut out squares have been sitting in my top dresser drawer for about 4 months:)

I was feeling productive today. Well, productive in the "I wanna craft but not wash the dishes piling up in my sink" way:) So, I attacked my pile o' squares and ironed them all onto interfacing.

Yes..that is seriously my iron. It's mini and I love it:)

This was my original Photoshop design for the quilt. I had coded each pattern so that I could lay it out and see how I liked it.

Funny thing about making a code for patterns and then waiting 4 months to look at it again...I kinda forgot what codes were for what patterns! So, needless to say it took a WHILE to make my design come true in real life.

Here are all my squares laid out on our bed:

P.S. We got new bedroom furniture and I can't wait to get started on our bedroom! Our downstairs is almost done and I am trying to finish one project before I start a next:) So, for now our room is empty...except for our new furniture that makes us feel like true adults;)

So, after laying out all my squares, I put them together by horizontal rows to make it easier to sew them together.

I have 15 rows of 11 squares. Now...maybe I will get it all sewed together in another 4 months? Nah...I really got to get on this because I know once I have this baby...ain't nothin' crafty getting done for a while:)

OK, now time to go watch endless episodes of Hoarders on Netflix. It always makes me want to clean my house really well afterwards. It also works on my hubby...so I make him watch it with me sometimes;)

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Tatertots and Jello